There's Always A Clue
by Bigearsbabe
Summary: Are Grissom & Brass about to get their clothes off in the name of investigation?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Don't own them. They belong to CBS, Jerry Bruckheimer, Anthony Zuiker etc. Making no money, etc,etc,etc.  
  
Spoliers: None.  
  
Warnings: None  
  
Rating G  
  
Summary : A friendship is put to the test when a team member needs help.  
  
One   
Jim Brass frowned as Gil Grissom leaned over his shoulder and scribbled the word in blue ink across the paper whilst simultaneously biting down on an apple.   
  
'Do you mind?' Brass's voice showed a mild irritation.  
  
'No.' The grey haired CSI supervisor crunched his snack, his face a mask of innocence. 'Never figured you for a crossword man Jim.'  
  
'I'm not.'  
  
'So I gather the way you're getting those wrong.' No matter how innocent Grissom said things sometimes, Brass couldn't help but feel inferior,even stupid,though he knew he wasn't. The man just had a knack of making you feel uneducated.  
  
'Actually I was waiting on you.' Brass now lapsed back into his usual impression of boredom. Tossing the puzzle book on the desk,the policeman dug into his inside jacket pocket and extracted a piece of paper. He dropped it on top of the book. Grissom saw the imprint of what looked like a crossword.  
  
'It won't burn you buddy. It arrived in my mail.'   
  
Taking the paper in his hand, Grissom eyed the grid. All the squares were blank. It was drawn in black felt ink, each un-needed square carefully shaded, the cubes waiting to be filled in,left blank and carefully numbered across and down.   
  
'Homemade,' Grissom spoke out loud. 'Where's the clues?'  
  
'Don't know,' Brass shrugged. 'Strange thing to send me.'  
  
'A prank?'  
  
'No idea.'Another shrug.  
  
'Sooooo????' Grissom looked at the detective over the top of his glasses and arched an enquiring brow.  
  
'So it's bothering me because it landed in my personal mail.'  
  
'Home?'  
  
'Yeah. I thought maybe kids. Maybe mine was a random letterbox til I saw my name on it.' Brass gave a sigh and plucked the paper from Grissom's fingers. 'Probably just over-reacting. Just thought it was a strange thing to send me.'  
  
'Post mark?'  
  
'Hand delivered.'  
  
'How was it written? Mr, Captain, Detective, what?'  
  
'Mr.'  
  
'Envelope?'  
  
'Brown, manilla, typed. No note with it.'  
  
'still got it?'  
  
'Of course.'  
  
'Let's print then.'  
  
TBC 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note  
Please see chap 1 for disclaimer etc. This is still a G.  
  
TWO  
  
'Absoloutely nothing! No prints, nothing!' Jim Brass growled in frustration.  
  
'Patience is a virtue.' Grissom was matter of fact. 'There's other options here. I'll give it to Ronnie and see what he makes of the paper,the ink.'  
  
'Do I look like a goddamn virtuous girlguide with the patience of a saint to you? In fact, don't answer that one.' Brass allowed himself the briefest of smiles.  
  
'Hey Hardy Boys, what's the mystery?' Catherine entered the lab and found Grissom and Brass huddled in what looked like a conspiracy by a microscope.  
  
'No mystery,' replied Grissom flatly. 'Just a little fingerprint experiment.'  
  
'Someones idea of a practical joke,' chipped in Brass.'Look I'd better get outta here. Got a mountain of paper to clear before end of shift.'  
  
'Well you two don't appear to be finding it very amusing. Can I assist with anything?'  
  
'No thanks. We can handle it. Probably something and then nothing. Jim being over sensitive.' Brass shot him a 'watch it buddy' glance at that last remark. Catherine smiled.  
  
'Oh yeah,' she cooed sweetly. 'Jim is such a gentle, sensitive soul who gets upset so easily.'  
  
Just as Grissom was about to answer, Nick Stokes appeared at the door.   
  
'Hey Gris, Sam Vega just called in. Some kid out necking with his girlfriend stumbled across a DB out towards the county line near Henderson. Want me to go?' Nick's eagerness to work a suspicious death dominated his body language and this was not lost on his Supervisor.  
  
'Sure. Catherine you go too,' Grissom delegated. 'If it turns out to be anything other than natural, you can have Warrick if you need him.'  
  
Catherine looked first at Grissom, then towards Brass who met her gaze begrudgingly, lowering his eyes and studying his shoes. They were holding out on her, she sensed, but holding what she didn't know. Yet.  
  
'Oh,' said Nick suddenly remembering the brown envelope in his hand under the piece of paper upon which he had scrawled the directions to where Vega now awaited,'Almost forgot, glad you're here Jim, this was left at the desk for you.'  
  
Brass stared at his name typed on the front. Grissom stared at the envelope and Catherine stared at both of them. Gingerly, Brass took it like it was a suspect package causing Nick to grin.  
  
'What's wrong? You act like it's a demand for child support.' Then the grin faded. 'It's not is it?' Catherine rolled her eyes and pushed the Texan out the doorway.   
  
'C'mon,' she said,'Time to catch some bad guys.' Walking down the corridor, she couldn't help but look backwards and see the unusually serious contemplation on the detectives' face as he opened the envelope.  
  
tbc 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimerv: Please see chapter one.  
  
Author's note: Thanks for the reviews.  
'It looks like it's been torn from one of the free city maps the hotels give out,' said Grissom, his eyes narrowing as he held the torn part of the map up against the light. 'Doesn't look like anything else has been written on it either.'  
  
Brass rubbed his eyes and exhaled audibly. He felt suddenly weary. He was no good at games, and if someone was playing one with him then he at least wanted to know who the players were and what the objective of it all was. Silently he hoped it was a prank but April first had long since been and gone and his ever dependable gut instinct told him this was something far more sinister. How dark it would become, only time would tell.  
  
'So,' Grissom contnued spreading the crossword and the torn strip of map showing the few blocks which was collectively known to tourists as the Freemont Experience, on the table. 'What we have is the makings of a treasure hunt.'   
  
'Or a body hunt,' Brass interjected humourlessly. Grissom noticed how drawn the detective was looking this evening, suprised how two simple pieces of paper had un-nerved his friend so much. Jim Brass was not a man easily put on edge.  
  
'Is there something you want to tell me Jim?'  
  
'Like what?'  
  
'Like any problems?'  
  
'As in?'  
  
'Work problems?'  
  
'No.'  
  
'Lady problems?'  
  
Brass gave a short laugh which almost sounded like a snort.  
  
'Are you kidding me Gil? Can't remember last time I had a date, and when I did she wasn't married that much I knew.'  
  
Both men fell silent as they both hunched over the evidence table scrutinising the paper for anything unusual. After several minutes, Grissom turned his head sideways.  
  
'How's Ellie?' he asked. Brass's head snapped up.  
  
'Ellie?' He repeated uncomprehending.  
  
'Where is she?'  
  
'Jersey with her mother as far as I know.'  
  
'You haven't spoken to her recently?'  
  
'No.'  
  
'And she's definately in Jersey?'  
  
Brass's eyes narrowed dangerously. 'What are you implying Gil?' he rumbled. Grissom held his hands up in a defensive gesture.  
  
'Just asking pal that's all. Maybe you should go call and make sure they're ok.'  
  
'They? I haven't spoken to Ellie since she left Vegas and I sure as hell haven't spoken to my ex in at least six years and then it was through her lawyer.'  
  
Grissom turned back to the paper in front of him.  
  
'well maybe it's time you did,' he said quietly. 'If only to make sure they're in good health.'  
  
tbc....... 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer : Please see chapter one  
  
Authors note : Some of these places are ficticious but the streets are not.Apologies to anyone who lives in Vegas and knows better but I'm six and a half thousand miles away and don't know the city.  
Four  
  
Sara was lounging on the sofa of the break room reading a file and crunching on a cereal bar when Catherine bustled in carrying a large box.  
  
'Hey you need help with that?' she asked without looking up from the page she was engrossed in.  
  
'Thanks, I got it.' Catherine dropped it in a corner of the room then poured herself a coffee. 'watcha reading?'  
  
'Just last nights report from that car jacking. Looks like no match from Afis on the prints we lifted and the vics have already been discounted. Hey, what was Grissom up to last night? He was supposed to be out with me on this job then changed his mind at the last minute and I never saw him after that.'  
  
'He and Brass were closeted in one of the labs, very tight. Those boys are up to something but what, I couldn't tell ya.'  
  
Sara threw her legs over the edge of the sofa her face now a picture of interest. Catherine noticed the change in her face.  
  
'What you thinking Sara?'  
  
'Well, I bumped into Brass in the corridor about 5am. He was totally out of it.'  
  
'Out of it?'  
  
'Yeah.I mean I physically bumped into him and it was like he was on another planet. No sarcastic comment, no sly smile, and I got an apology. Then he scurries off like a schoolkid with a secret to hide.'  
  
'Hmmm, I think it's time I had a little chat with Mr Brass.'  
**********************************  
  
The light tap on the door brought Jim Brass out of his thoughtful contmplation.   
  
'It's open,' he called. Catherine squeezed herself about the slightly open door as if opening it all the way would cause a great hardship. Brass was seated behind his desk turning a brown envelope over and over in his hands. He looked exhausted.  
  
'You alright?' Catherine asked cautiously.  
  
'I'm busy.' His voice was sharp, then his face softened into a smile. 'I'm sorry Catherine, what can I do for you?' She dropped into the over-stuffed visitors chair in front of his desk.  
  
'A couple of things have bothering me since yesterday.' Brass remained silent. He sat back in his chair, dropped the envelope on the desk and placed his hands together as if he was about to make a prayer.  
'What was so important that it would keep Gil out of the field and in the lab all night, and why is it bothering you so much?'  
  
'I have a little problem,' he answered at length. 'Someone is playing a game with me and I have no idea who or why.'  
  
Catherine screwed her face up as if she'd just tasted something nasty.  
  
'A game? what kind of game?'  
  
'Crossword.'  
  
'And they'd be doing this because?' Brass shrugged in an 'I have no idea' gesture. 'Well that explains Grissom's involvement. Why keep me out of the loop?'  
  
'There isn't one yet. The puzzle has commenced this evening.' He tossed a printed piece of paper towards her.  
  
'Ring-o- ring a roses ; lick your opposition for your destiny is in her  
hands.....what the hell?'  
  
'It's a clue.' Brass passed over the map. 'See where I've ringed. Anagram clues and some cryptic clues I'm no good at, that's Grissom's department. Look, but I think I got this first one cracked all by my lonesome.See,one down, four letters and six letters. Rose Palace. The strip joint near the corner of First and Main St.'  
  
'That's the solution. Places. What about the rest of it? I don't like the sound of 'lick the opposition' and I certainly don't like the sound of 'your destiny is in her hands.'  
  
A faint smile traced Jim's lips. 'You wanna tag along and make sure I don't get into any trouble?'  
  
'Hell yes. Think we'll find the next clue there?'  
  
'Probably. This is just the first, long way to go before the solution becomes clear or who's behind it. I left a message for Gil to call me back, but I'll change it and ask him to see us when we get back. '  
  
tbc 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer : Please see chapter one for disclaimer.  
  
Authors note: Thanks for the reviews,it's what keeps me going. There are some mild references to sex in this chapter but it's nothing to get het upabout.  
  
FIVE  
  
The music vibrated with a gentle beat in the dimly lit club as the sparsly made up audience waited for the next act to appear.Comprising of mainly middle-aged men, no-one spoke to the guy at the next table. Each emersed in their own pleasure.  
  
Jim Brass sipped his soda and strained his eyes towards the stage area which was the only part of the room with any amount of good light. At least that's what he told Catherine. She had perched herself on a high stool, propping herself against the bar watching amused at the comings and goings of the clients. Finally she looked at Brass and saw how he seemed to fit into the surroundings with an ease that suprised her a little. He was a divorced middle-aged guy who worked permanent nights, cranky, straightforward and very possibly lonely. When she thought about him like that, maybe she wasn't so suprised after all he fit easily into the life of a bar like this.  
  
'Well, I have no idea who or what we should be looking for,' she said at length.  
  
'The clue said my destiny was in her hands and I had to lick the opposition. Can't say I've seen anyone yet I'd want to do that with.'  
  
Catherine gave him one of her best withering looks. It worked. The grin dissolved from his face and he sheepishly took two steps back from her.  
  
'I'm here to keep you out of trouble, not allow you to get into it. You get up to anything other than crossword clues in here and you're likely to find yourself the recipient of a brown envelope and some photos or on America's Most Wanted if this game is that serious.'  
  
As if on cue, a tall brunette strode across to them. Somewhere in her mid forties, still slim, still beautiful but her show stopping days appeared to be reluctantly over.  
  
'Do I know you?' she purred. Brass looked behind him to see who she was talking to the realised he had his back to the bar and the question was directed at him. The woman trailed a finger down the side of his cheek to his tie.  
  
'No,I don't think so.'  
  
'Yes I do. You're Jimmy.'  
  
'Jim,' he corrected,'And how do you know who I am?'  
  
'You're the man I've been waiting for all night.'  
  
'I am?' Brass could feel the colour rising in his cheeks. The brunette tugged at his tie in a seductive invitation to follow her. She took his hand and pulled him along, across the room, between several tables and to a door marked 'staff'. Only when they reached this door did she stop and face him. Her eyes darkened as she saw Catherine by his side.  
  
'If you wanna get kinky and let the wife watch it'll cost an extra fifty. He didn't say nothin' about a woman.'  
  
'Who?' Catherine demanded.   
  
'His buddy who arranged this.'  
  
'Let's get on with it,' cut in Brass jerking his finger towards Catherine. 'She comes along and I'll pay the balance.' Seemingly appeased by the offer of money,the woman merely shrugged and pushed the door open.  
  
The walls of the room were draped with cheap material which gave it the look of a tent. Against one wall was a cast iron bed. From one side hung a pair of handcuffs and from the other a silk scarf. The sheets were spread tight and the corners folded with military precision. As soon as the door closed the brunette began removing her already scant clothing.  
  
'What are you doing?'Spluttered Brass.  
  
'You wanna keep your clothes on buddy, fine by me. When he paid for this he never said you'd be a one minute wonder.'She sounded almost deprived. 'Oh well.' Catherine smothered a giggle as the blush across Jim's face exploded into a firery red.  
  
'What exactly did he pay for?'  
  
The woman smiled in Catherine's direction. 'Are you sure you don't want the little lady to wait outside?' Her voice dropped back into her seductive mode as she moved close to the now acutely embarrassed detective. The brunette was some inches taller than him in her heels and Brass was torn between looking at Catherine for help and the womans' deep cleavage which was now agonisingly close to his face.  
  
'Cath,' he croaked barely able to find his voice. 'Maybe you should wait outside.'  
  
'Maybe I should.....Jimmy....' With one last look at the flushed cop, Catherine left pulling the door silently to, hearing the last words of Brass who was reaching into the inside of his jacket pocket.  
  
'Now then Miss, there's something you should know before we get down to business.'  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Catherine sat in tight lipped silence as Brass manouvered the Taurus through the early morning traffic on Main Street in the direction of the P.D. Every now and then Brass laughed to himself, but said nothing. When he laughed for the fourth time, Catherine decided enough was enough.  
  
'Just what are you laughing at? Or need I ask?'  
  
'I was thinking that's all.' He chuckled again.  
  
'Yet another man with his brains in his pants.' Silence again.  
  
'Cath,' his voice was almost boyish,' You think I'm handsome?'  
  
'What?'  
  
'Sally, she called me handsome. I haven't been called that in twenty years.'  
  
'Sally as you call her, gets paid to say it.' Catherine was blunt but Brass seemed stung. He eased the car into the curb and set the parking brake.  
  
'Nothing happened,' he explained quietly. ' When you left, she made a move but the only thing I showed her was my badge.'  
  
'Showing your badge took a long time. Not quite the one minute wonder she had you pegged as?'  
  
Brass arched an amused brow. 'My God, are you jealous Catherine?'  
  
'Hell no!'  
  
'Then why are you so bothered what I got up to in there?'  
  
'Because dumb ass, I was supposed to be your back-up. Partner in this. It's your problem I'm trying to help you with here. Problem as in why we were there in the first place. Hello! Possible life and death situation or had you forgotton about that?' She sat back against the seat and pouted like a sullen child.  
  
'Want me to explain the clue?'  
  
'If it means the dirty details of your pathetic, sorid little sex life then no.'  
  
Brass ignored that last comment and continued with an impish grin on his face.  
  
'Ring-O Roses, Rose Palace. Lick the opposition, I was supposed to....erm well you know.....alright you get the idea. My destiny in her hands, she was to give me a.....erm well you get the idea about that too, but point is, once I showed her the badge we came to an agreement about her place of employment and its illegal activities there in the back room.' He produced a brown envelope from his pocket,' She gave me this and I gave her a break. She gets a shit loada cash for doing nothing and I get a vague description of the guy who hired her to give me a good time.....and I wouldn't quite say I was little.......not that you'd know!'  
  
Catherine extracted a piece of paper from the envelope and read aloud.  
  
'Soap yourself down : runny clay...What does that mean?'   
  
'No idea, but Grissom should be waiting for us when we get back.' Brass checked his blindspot and moved back into the traffic.  
  
'Still sounds like you're jealous,' he grinned sliding the car into the fast line of cars.  
  
tbc......... 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer : Please see chapter one for disclaimer.  
  
Authors note: Thanks for the reviews. This story started out pretty serious and will get serious towrards the end, but no-one said I couldn't inject a little humour along the way. Hope you enjoy.  
SIX  
  
Grissom rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Catherine sat in the chair looking across at him, but stayed silent. Brass sat himself on the edge of the desk between them both. Finally Grissom spoke.  
  
'Mud Bath,' he announced triumphantly.  
  
'A what?' Brass wrinkled his nose.  
  
'Where do you soap yourself down?'  
  
'In the shower usually.'  
  
'You never take baths?'  
  
'Only if I'm shar.....' Brass caught himself before he could finish the sentence and incriminate himself further.'Occassionally. If I have the time.'  
  
'Runny clay,' continued Grissom.   
  
'Mud,' finished Catherine for him. 'Mud bath.'  
  
'And where on this map would you find a mud bath?' Grissom scrutinised the torn map.  
  
'Hotel Nevada.' Catherine leaned back in the chair with a knowing smile. 'The spa has been advertising a new mud bath.'  
  
'And you'd know this because?' Grissom removed his glasses and began chewing on the end of the frame. Catherine shrugged and held out her hands in mock surrender.  
  
'I got a free invite in the mail?' She ventured.  
  
'What does this guy want with me?' Brass stood up and began pacing the office floor. He removed his tie and shoved it into his jacket pocket, opening the first three buttons on his shirt as he did. 'Revenge for something?'  
  
'Humiliation?' Grissom nodded his head at his own conclusion.   
  
'Why would a well spoken, articulate white guy of medium height in his  
twenties want to humiliate me?'  
  
Catherine looked across at him with a glint in her eye. She opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it when Brass waved a warning finger at her and remained tight-lipped. Picking up the telephone instead, she called the switchboard and moments later she was speaking to the reception desk of the Hotel Nevada. After a brief conversation she replaced the receiver and stood up.  
  
'Come on boys, we're booked in for a session in the mud bath in less than an hour.'  
  
*********************************************************  
  
'This is nuts!' Brass stood by the side of the mud bath afraid to move as if he was a first time swimmer seeking the comfort of the pool edge. He was stripped down to his under shorts, waist deep in a sea of thick, tepid mud. Catherine and Grissom stood by the side of the bath fully clothed looking down at the detective.  
  
'Okay,' said Catherine crouching by the side of his head, 'There must be something in here that'll lead us to the next clue.'  
  
'It's too deep to bend over and feel with your hands,' interjected Grissom,'So best guess is try walking about and feel with your feet.'  
  
'Can't believe I'm doing this,' groaned Brass with a look of sheer torture on his face.  
  
'Shut up whining. Sooner you find the item, quicker you can get out.'Grissom started pacing the perimeters of the bath as the cop began taking small steps, sliding his feet ungracefully through the mud like a strange ice skater.  
  
At the half way point, Brass stopped and froze.  
  
'You found something?' asked Catherine with interest.  
  
'No.'  
  
'Well get on with it.'  
  
'Hey! You're not the one with their shorts full of mud!'  
  
'They say it's good for your skin.'  
  
'Yeah? Well I think they meant it to go on the face baby!'Brass flicked some mud in her direction causing Catherine to back away laughing. He statred again but stopped almost immediately.  
  
'What is it?' Grissom halted his pacing.  
  
'I can feel something. Plastic. Like a wrapping.'  
  
'Becareful,' warned Catherine.  
  
'Oh! I've been in here over a half hour and NOW you're concerned about me?'  
  
'Can you reach it?' Grissom came as close to the edge as he could without falling in. Brass cautiously dipped his arm into the mud, stretching his neck in the opposite direction in an attempt not to get his face in. It coated his chin.  
  
'Got it!' He pulled out a brown envelope wrapped in plastic. Wading as quickly to the side as was possible, he handed it to Catherine before Grissom took his clean hand and hauled him from the bath. Carefully taking out the envelope, she removed the paper from inside.  
  
'As a member, the Marquis of Queensbury feels right at home here.Six and four. Three across. Write it in Gil.'  
  
Grissom dutifully took out the crossword puzzle and a pen. 'Member. You join something to be a member. Four letters. A club.'  
  
'Marquis of Queensbury invented boxing as it is,' Catherine offered.  
  
'There's boxing club three blocks from here,' said Brass. 'It's the only one in vacinity that'd come up on that map.'  
  
'Well, let's go there then,' said Grissom filling in the clue.  
  
'Let me get showered first,' pleaded Brass.  
  
'Okay we'll wait outside in the car,' said Catherine making towards the door.' Oh by the way Jim you were right earlier.'  
  
'About what?' A quizzical expression passed over Brass' face. Catherine pointed towards his shorts which now clung to his skin.  
  
'Not so little!' She winked at him before following Grissom out of the door leaving Brass staring after her, the heat rising in his cheeks for yet another time that evening.  
  
tbc........... 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer : Please see chapter one for disclaimer.  
  
Authors note: Thanks ever so for the reviews. Glad some folks are enjoying a Brass centred fic. Hope you continue to enjoy.  
SEVEN  
  
The car doors clunked as both were shut. The beep of the alarm setting had Jim Brass turn. He half grinned, half grimaced as Warrick and Nick strode towards him. Nick held a hand in acknowledgement.  
  
'Hey Jim, sorry we're late,' he beamed.  
  
'Yeah Gris was filling us in,' put in Warrick. 'Thought we'd better come along and make sure you don't get yer butt kicked in the boxing club.'  
  
'Yo ho, very funny Rick. Did Gris tell you everything?'  
  
Nick nodded enthusiastically.'Sure did. Gotta say I'd have liked to have seen you waist deep trawling about the mud bath in yer undies.'  
  
'Careful Nicholas, I have a big gun ,and I'm not afraid to use it!'  
  
Warrick smiled to himself as Nick carried on grinning like the Cheshire Cat.   
  
'Okay guys,' Warrick ventured. 'Gris said this place was closed when you got here this morning, but looks like it's open now. What are we expecting in here?'  
  
'No idea,' Brass shrugged, ' But you can bet yer ass we'll find another clue waiting if this is the right joint.'  
  
'So we stroll in and get it. Can't be too hard.'  
  
'It's not the clue that bothers me,' Jim said humourlessly, 'It's what I'll have to do to earn it that scares the hell outta me.'  
  
*******************************************************  
  
The club manager looked the three strangers up and down with the scrutiny of a jeweller checking out his favourite diamond. When any of them tried to speak he put a finger to his lips and let out a loud 'sssshhhhh.' Eventually he stepped back and scratched his head.  
  
'So you actually ever done any boxing?' He sounded doubtful. Warrick shook his hands loose in front of him.  
  
'Manage a bit in the gym,' he said confidently.  
  
'Not you,' came the gowl. 'The short middle-aged one.' He pointed a stubby finger at Brass whose eyes widened in alram.   
  
'Me?' Brass turned his own finger inwards and pointed at himself in the chest.  
  
'I don't see any other short, overweight middle aged guys here do you?'  
The man tossed a key towards the detective. 'There's some gear in locker 22 over there. Be ready to go in ten minutes. I'll get my boy warmed up.'  
  
All the while he was changing, Brass muttered unintelligable words, mainly to himself. Nick and Warrick stood close by scrutinising the club and the members that moved between disciplines. Finally Brass stood in front of them wearing a pair of oversized knee length blue boxing shorts. On his feet were laced up boxing boots.  
  
'Whoa, Rocky Balboa mark 99,' whistled Nick. Brass shot him a warning glance.  
  
'I don't like this.' Warrick sounded cautious. 'Have you ever boxed before Brass?'  
  
'Nope. Closest I usually get to the ring is on pay per view. Actually I did a little in college but only to keep fit.' He slapped his waist, 'Looks like I need to get back in the gym anyways.'  
  
The manager came over to them and handed over two sets of bandages.'Either one of you guys know how to wrap hands?'  
  
'I do,' Warrick took the bundles.  
  
'Well you two can be his corner seconds. Wrap his hands then put these on.' He threw a pair of gloves at Nick. 'The deal is he goes three, two minute rounds with my club champ.'  
  
'Who the hell asked you to do this?' asked Brass getting agitated as Warrick wound the bandges about his hands.  
  
'Can't say.'  
  
'I'm a cop, of course you can say.'  
  
'Look buddy, I don't don't care if you're the President of the damn US of A, the guy gave me a whole loada cash and said you'd be a good spar for my boy in prep for his first major fight. If you can't do it, then say so now, but you won't get the envelope he left. What's a matter, you too old for this?'  
  
Brass's face went blank. 'Just put the gloves on and show me my corner.'  
  
The bell sounded and the sullen looking twenty year old in the opposing corner, shot from his seat into the centre of the ring where he began to dance wildly, moving his shoulders and ducking his head. Brass stood up and took a deep breath. Warrick slapped him on the shoulder as Nick put the gum shield in place for him. He moved cautiously towards his opponent and put his hands in front of him. Brass had no idea where the first three punches came from but they hurt like the devil. The fourth blow landed in his midriff and he hit the canvas desperately trying to prevent his hamburger from re-surfacing. A standing eight count followed during which he reassured the referee he was able to continue all the while the other boxer bounced on his heel and hadn't broken sweat. After several more blows Jim almost screamed in relief when the bell sounded.  
  
Slumping into the corner, he spat out the gum shield and gasped for air. Nick fanned him rapidly with the towel and Warrick squirted liquid into his mouth.  
  
'Man you're getting creamed,' Warrick surmised.  
  
'Like I need telling!'   
  
'That left eye's coming up,try and keep it away from him. He lands a combo right twice then follows it with a left upper cut. Get that again and you're eye's gonna be cut or closed.'  
  
'So what's your advice?'  
  
'Don't get hit!' The bell clanged again and Nick stuffed the gum shield back. As he went for more punishment Nick called after him,  
  
'Move your feet Jim!'   
  
In the second round, Brass faired little better. The combination punches flurried again and he felt the blood from a cut mingle with the profuse sweat that poured down his body. He silently prayed for the bout to stop and have his injury tended to, but help did not come. Managing to move his feet, he suprised himself how fast he could move when the now not so sullen twenty year old attempted to land a left hook. Rebounding from the ropes he clutched at his opponent until the referee seperated then.  
  
'It ain't a dancing competition old man,' the club champ stormed. 'Why don't you quit now. You're beaten and you're too old.' The bell signified the end of the round.  
  
Jim winced as Warrick applied linament to his cut and Nick rubbed away the excess sweat and blood with a towel.  
  
'Is this worth it?' asked Warrick, worry edging his tone.  
  
'No, but I'm not quitting now.' Brass spit out a mouthful of blood.  
  
'What's there to gain by going back out there besides some dumb envelope?' The bell again.  
  
'He called me an old man, so I'm gonna knock the young pup on his ass.'  
  
'And how do you propose to do that?'  
  
'By my rules.'  
  
'And they are?'  
  
'Jersey street rules.'   
  
With renewed enthusiasm and his blood on fire,Brass set about his task. Dodging a neat one, two, he brought his right arm over the top and smacked the boxer on the bridge of his nose. The young man staggered back suprised. Brass wouldn't let him get away so easily and went in towards him throwing a right here and a couple of left's there. For good measure he landed several punches in the stomach area and when the lad went to the canvas Brass followed in with a final left in the mouth causing the gum shield to fly out covered in blood and the referee step between them calling an end to the bout.  
  
Brass leaned over. 'Old dog, old trick,' he growled menacingly at the prostrate boxer, then turning to the manager he shouted, 'I don't think he's ready for the big league, now where's my Goddamn envelope!'   
  
***********************************************************  
  
Nick recounted he boxing match in detail excitedly to Grissom, Catherine and Sara back in the CSI break room. Warrick draped himself lazily across the sofa nodding when he agreed with a point Nick was making and laughing to himself when the details of the outfit were described to a giggling Catherine and an extremely amused Sara. Grissom sat listening impassively as he looked at the envelope and the note inside. Jim finally appeared dressed casually for once on black jeans and open neck casual dark blur shirt,and the group burst out into applause.   
  
'Yeah funny!' Brass grimaced. It hurt to smile. Catherine gave a low whistle and prodded a finger at the plastered left eyebrow and the now reddish purple bruise that had begun to form on the cheekbone. 'Hey careful,' he chastised lightly. 'I got two stitches in there.' Grissom cleared his throat and then read from the paper.  
  
'Celebrate your anniversay with fifty they're small pieces. Take a pop, try your luck but don't be fooled now.'  
  
'What the hell does that mean?' asked Brass rolling his neck on his shoulders. He felt that every part of his anatomy had siezed.   
  
'Anniversay and fifty,'Grissom repeated.  
  
'Six and six letters. Four across. something 'O' blah,blah something 'U'.'  
  
'Hey you said it was on the map,' offered Nick. Grissom passed him the map and he began scouring it for a place.  
  
'Anniversary,' said Catherine still fascinated by the multi array of colours Jim's face was rapidly taking on. ''Fifty. Fiftieth anniversary is golden.'  
  
'Small pieces though?' Sara was thinking out loud.  
  
'Got it!' shouted Nick.'It's obvious. Golden Nugget casino. Six and six letters.'  
  
Grissom entered the answer in the crossword. 'It fits,' he said quietly.'But what about the rest of the clue? an instruction?'  
  
'Do I have to lose fifty bucks on in there?' asked Brass sitting tenderly on a chair which caused Catherine to move behind him and start sympathetically massaging his stiff eck and shoulder joints.  
  
'Probably more to do with a specific gaming discipline. Something we'll have to work out when we get there.'  
  
'We all going?' asked Sara.  
  
'This time yes,' said Grissom gravely, 'It's a big place and until we know what this is all about, we all go and cover each others backs.'   
tbc........... 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer : Please see chapter one for disclaimer.  
  
Authors note: Thanks ever so for the reviews. Glad some folks are enjoying a Brass centred fic. Hope you continue to enjoy. Sorry this has taken an age to write but gosh, darn, doesn't work just get in the way of the things you want to do in life!(Oh and in case you were wondering, Cath has a flirty way with Brass. She isn't going to end up with him.........personally I think they'd be good for each other but that's just my two cent's........unless I get a review to the contrary.........on with the action......)   
  
EIGHT  
  
The lights in the Golden Nugget Casino flashed brilliantly and were accompanied by what felt like a constant, deafening beeping. The group of CSI's stood huddled by a closed gaming table.  
  
'Where the hell do we start in here?' bemoaned Brass rubbing his black eye gingerly. He was suffering the onset of a headache and more than anything wished he was stretched out on his couch at home watching the sports channel and necking back a beer, or several.  
  
'We split up.' Gil Grissom took the paper from his pocket again and scoured the clue. 'We have to work out what we haven't got to be fooled over, and what Jim has to take a pop at.' He looked about him at the busy casino again. 'Warrick and I will take the slots, Nick, Sara you guys take the bar area and the south side. Jim, Cath, you take the tables at the far end of the room. I'll take the tables as well at this end.'  
  
Catherine looked at her watch. 'Okay, we meet back here wether we have anything or not in a half hour.' Sara nodded as Nick and Warrick touched fists.  
  
'What we on the look out for?' asked Nick.   
  
'Anything that might relate to the clue. You all know what it says. Any problems call each other on the cell.Good luck.'  
  
With that the tiny group of friends split in to three and went in the opposite directions.  
  
Brass and Catherine headed off towards the open poker and blackjack tables. Warrick and Grissom began walking up and down the aisles of the the slot machines and Sara and Nick headed off to the bar and open plan customer spaces where the toilets were.  
  
The tables were full of players so eager to lose their money thought Jim. Catherine had left him watching a middle-aged, balding man with a badly fitted toupee, quite happily losing a fortune on the turn of a blackjack card and the young twenty-something squealing with delight and hanging on to his arm when he won. Lost in his own thoughts, he was brought back to reality by a gentle hand on the small of his back.  
  
'Hey you jealous?' Catherine whispered softly in his ear when she saw the couple his eyes were fixed on.  
  
'No way,' he replied with a grin. 'You jealous I'm looking at other women?'  
  
'Should i be?'  
  
'You come up with anything?'   
  
'Naw. You?'  
  
'Only a sure way of getting a woman like that.' He jabbed a thumb in the twenty-somethings direction.  
  
'And how's that?'  
  
'I win the lottery.'  
  
Catherine smiled at him as she slipped an arm through his and directed him back towards the meeting place. 'You win the lottery and you can have me!  
  
'I won ten bucks last week, does that count? I mean come on Baby, you never said how much I had to win.'  
  
'Come on Casanova, time's up.'  
  
The table where they met was now open and four players had sat about it with a stack of chips in front of them. Congregating together the CSI's held their hands out in the gesture of finding out nothing.  
  
'This is hopeless,' drawled Nick. 'I mean there's gotta be what? a thousand folks in here.'  
  
'Yeah, not to mention the hundreds of slots, tables and other ways to lose your hard earned cash,' chipped in Sara.  
  
'Well we tried,' sighed Jim now looking rather dejected. 'Maybe if we don't follow it up this creep will just give in.'  
  
'Or maybe not.' Grissom pushed past Warrick and Brass to the table which had been closed on their arrival and stood over one player staring down at the table.  
  
'Hey what's your problem buddy?' complained the player.  
  
'Excuse me ma'am.' Grissom addressed the croupier and pointed to the sign on the corner of the blue baize table. 'Is that the name of this table or the game you're playing?' The rest of the group came and stood around. One player eyed catherine and reached an arm about her waist from where he sat on his high chair.  
  
'Hey gorgeous, you wanna sit here and bring me some luck?' A large hand dropped on his shoulder and gave a gentle sqeeze.  
  
'Touch her again pal and you're luck will run out.' Brass growled in almost a whisper at the man whilst nudging his jacket to one side revealing his badge and gun. The arm hastily withdrew and Catherine shot Jim a 'thank you' look. He winked with his good eye.   
  
The croupier looked at the small group gathered about her table and considered calling security.  
  
'Ma'am?' Grissom asked again. 'What is is this sign?'  
  
'It's the game we play here at this table. Fools Gold Blackjack.'  
  
Grissom looked at Brass who in turn looked at Warrick and raised a questioning eyebrow.  
  
'It's just a name for the game,' answered Warrick. 'Some places give standard card games names. Makes it sound more interesting than it perhaps is. See over there,' he pointed at the next table. 'Carribean poker. It's standard five card draw. Then that one over there, Devil's Advocate, just poker with deuces high.'  
  
'That's right,' the croupier explained feeling a little more at ease. 'This is just normal Blackjack. Standard rules, house must draw on sixteen and stand on seventeens.'  
  
'You think this is it?' asked Sara pushing herself between Warrick and Nick to get a better look. Nick shrugged by her and dropped an arm about her shoulders.  
  
'I see you have a seat reserved,' said Grissom.  
  
'Yes. A gentleman called yesterday and asked us to reserve a place at this particular table for his friend Mr Brass.'  
  
'His name?'  
  
'Mr Grissom.'  
  
The huddled group looked at each other and Catherine found it hard to supress a smile. This guy was one smart ass, she mused.  
  
'I'm Jim Brass' Jim took his place at the table. 'What's the minimum?'  
  
'Twenty.'  
  
'And how much do I have to lose to get that envelope I bet you have waiting for me.'  
  
'You lose a hundred or you win two hundred are my instructions.'  
  
Jim sighed and took his wallet from the inside pocket of his jacket. Flicking it open he removed thirty dollars.  
  
'That's all I have in cash,' he sighed. Nick handed over a twenty, Sara parted with ten, Warrick threw across a twenty as did Catherine.  
  
'That should be enough,' said Catherine. 'Hey Gris, you not chipping in.'  
  
'I only have five dollars on me.'  
  
'Why does that not suprise me.'  
  
Lady luck appeared to be on the detectives side. Within seven draws he had accumulated the required two hundred dollar win and decided tactfully to call a halt there and then. With his final set of winnings, the dealer pushed across a manilla envelope with the chips and the party of investigators drew silent, yet heavy sighs.  
  
'I'll cash these in,'said Jim holding up the stack of chips. 'Then we can head back to base.'  
  
'Hey do we share?' asked Nick excitedly.  
  
'Sure thing. You gave me twenty so you get back forty and so on.'  
  
'Cool.'  
  
Grissom took the envelope and turned it in his hands. Taking out the paper inside he inhaled and closed his eyes. By his very reaction, Catherine had an idea that this was going to be a very long night.  
  
tbc...................... 


	9. Chapter 9

Authors Note;  
  
Thanks for the reviews.A little more fun here at Jim's expense!  
  
NINE  
  
MAKE YOUR DEPOSIT HERE  
  
NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL  
  
BE FIRST AT ONE HUNDRED  
  
'What the hell does that mean?' Brass sank his teeth into the extra large hamburger. Catherine had kicked her boots off next to him and sat back against the cushions with a deep sigh.  
  
Grissom chewed thoughtfully on his sandwich and poured over the map.  
  
'Deposit. Must be a bank. There are four located on this map.'  
  
'Yeah, well I'm glad it says no amount is too small.'  
  
'I get the feeling that we aren't talking about money here.' At that moment Grissom's beeper decided to explode into noise. 'Gotta go. Listen,' he continued standing and passing both clue and map to Catherine,' The last line maybe something to do with the address of this bank. If you work anything out, becareful, and keep me posted so at least we know where you might be. Just in case.' Then he was gone.  
  
Catherine grabbed a telephone directory and looked over the addresses of the banks located on the map. None showed any resemblance to the last line of the clue. Brass finished the last of his meal and tossed the carton into the waste bin next to the sofa then sat back and looked across at Catherine.  
  
'You wanna have dinner with me sometime?' he suddenly asked.  
  
'What we having now?'  
  
'Dinner.'  
  
'There, we've had dinner.'  
  
'No, I mean real dinner.'  
  
'Like in a restaurant?'  
  
'Yeah, you know we can have food on plates and knives and forks and everything.'  
  
Catherine cocked her head to one side and narrowed her eyes. Eventually she smiled.  
  
'Thanks, but....' Brass gave a wry smile.  
  
'I know.' He stopped her finishing the sentence not knowing weather he wanted to spare her embarrassment or his own disappointment. 'Forget I even asked. I'm just tired. Stupid eh?'  
  
'Not stupid. Sweet, and I'll forget what you just asked. Now......how about looking up what's on First Street?'  
  
The detective's office was square, neat, business-like and small. Catherine drew up a chair next to Jim as he sat at his desk and tapped away at the keyboard of the computer. He entered his password and clicked on the Voter's Register then put in the address of 100 First Street, Las Vegas in the search bar before hitting the send button. Within seconds the name Honeycombe Clinic flashed across the screen.  
  
'Never heard of it,' said Catherine looking at the clue again. 'Maybe I was wrong to guess the address.  
  
'Well it's not a bank, that's for sure. Although this program is well over a year old. Maybe the building's changed over to a bank.Jeez,' he looked at his watch, 'It's almost nine in the morning. Wanna check it out before bedtime?'  
  
******************************************  
  
Brass flashed his badge at the secretary sitting behind the large wooden reception desk.  
  
'Can i help you detective?' she asked in a crisp manner.  
  
'I need some information about the building.'  
  
'I'm afraid I'm new here.I don't know much about it, I'll call Dr Honeycombe, he's the director of the clinic. One moment please.' The woman picked up a phone and her fingers flew over the buttons. She spoke rapidly for a few moments before turning back to the waiting policeman and CSI. 'If you'd like to go up, the Dr will see you. Take the elevator to the second floor and it's the third door on the right.'  
  
Catherine thanked her and together they rode the elevator to the directed floor and were met by a large man in his 50's at the designated doorway.  
  
'Captain Brass,' he boomed in a vibrant baritone. 'I've been expecting you.'  
  
'You have?' Jim sounded dubious.  
  
'Yes, we need men like you. Aren't enough of them. So much goes to waste, they don't realise what good can come of storing it for future use.'  
  
Dr Honeycombe invited the pair in and offered two seats in front of his desk. Catherine sat down slowly, Brass remained standing.  
  
'I don't understand,' Catherine said. 'We're here about an investigation.'  
  
'What is it you DO here Doc?'   
  
'I'm a gynocologist of course. We carry out IVF on women. We're also one of the top seminal fluid collection facilities in Nevada.' Brass's face drained in colour as he slumped into the vacant chair.  
  
'Wait a minute,' Catherine half laughed, 'This is a SPERM BANK?' She failed to supress a huge grin.  
  
'It's one of our many functions, yes. I get the feeling you weren't aware of this?'  
  
'Don't you think if we had been Doctor, Brass wouldn't be as pale as he is right now.' They both looked at the cop who appeared to be suffering from a severe case of shock. 'Well the gentleman who called and made the appointment said his friend was a single gentleman with no plans to marry, a hectic job and wanted to well, give something back to the community. He said he would be along, make a 'deposit' and then...'  
  
'You were to hand him something?'  
  
'Yes, an envelope.'  
  
'Did this man leave a name?'  
  
'Of course.' The Doctor went behind his desk and shuffled through his diary. 'Yes, his name was Nicholas Stokes.'  
  
'You can just give me the envelope and we'll call it quits.' Brass found his voice altough it was shaky.  
  
'I'm afraid not.'  
  
'why not?'  
  
'Strict instructions. Something for something. No effort, no envelope. If you leave, you leave without the envelope.'  
  
'I could arrest you for obstructing an investigation.'  
  
'An investigation into what?' Brass's mind whirred with action, looking for an excuse. He found none.  
  
'I'll go tell the nurse to make a room ready for you.' When he had left the room, Jim's head fell into his hands and he groaned loudly. Catherine on the other hand was trying so desperately to hold back the giggles her stomach ached. A nurse in blue scrubs appeared at the doorway.  
  
'If you'd like to follow me,' she sang cheerfully. Brass rose from his seat. The nurse pushed a small container into his hand. 'It's going to be the cubicle at the end of the corridor, there are some magazines but if you want your wife to help out then that's fine too.'  
  
Brass looked horrified as Catherine followed him down the corridor.  
  
'Where in the damnation you think you're going Ms Willows?' he challenged.  
  
'With you.'  
  
'Like hell.'  
  
'Earlier on you asked me out to dinner. What did you have planned after that?'  
  
'You turned me down. Besides,' he whined,'I can't do this in front of anyone else......could YOU?' Stepping into the cublicle, he slammed the door shut between them. Seconds later Catherine all but collapsed into the waiting room chair from laughter.  
  
********************************************* 


	10. Chapter 10

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
Thank you for the reviews and encouragement. I will keep plodding away thanks to them. I admit I was going to give up before I went on holiday. There is a little cussing in this one and an expletive. Soz, it's a Brass thing.....Things are getting serious again as it appears the team are being given the run around Vegas playing silly, trivial games at the expense of Brass, but things are about to turn a little more sinsiter for someone the detective is rather fond of............  
  
TEN  
  
'So how did it go?' Catherine asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. Brass yawned again and glared across at her from the passenger seat.  
  
'How do you think it went?' He grumbled.   
  
'Was it hard, so to speak?' Jim didn't answer. He pulled his jacket tighter across his body and slumped further down in the car seat. He didn't want to talk any more. He was tired and even more so now. All he thought about was his bed and how much it would be welcomed this morning. 'Oh c'mon Jim,' Catherine goaded pulling alongside the driveway of his home. 'Smile, it could have been worse. He could have had you riding Grissom's favourite roller coaster in your birthday suit.'  
  
'How's that?'  
  
'Well, this all just appears to be a humiliating game right now..........'  
  
'Yeah, well gimme a break eh? That was embarrassing for me back there. You think it's funny....well doing...you know.....THAT! And into a cup so small. PLEASE! It's a very private activity.'  
  
'You do it often?' Jim gave her an exasperated 'I can't believe you've just asked me that' stare and realised for the first time in many a year his nerves were really on edge but Catherine continued her playful goading in a manner too cheerful for his mood. She was enjoying this little part of the game. 'It didn't take too long and they gave you some magazines, and of course I did offer to help....which I'd like to point out was refused.' Catherine's tone was half joking. Brass was climbing out of the car.  
  
'You did help' he lamented.  
  
'How?'  
  
'I thought about you dancing round a silver pole in a silk thong and nothing much more....THAT'S why it didn't take long!' He slammed the door shut a disappeared into the house.  
  
***********************************************  
  
Gil Grissom listened intently, his face a mask of boyish innocence as if he was learning something new. Sara Sidle could not make the broad gap-toothed grin any smaller if she'd tried for a hundred years. Nick Stokes could barely contain himself making the others think he was about to have to change his undershorts and Warrick Brown wore a grimace as if the thought of a junior sized Jim Brass running about Vegas was more than his stomach could take.   
  
Catherine sat back in the chair as she finished her tale allowing her friends the chance to digest the latest adventures of their ex-supervisor in the Case of the Cryptic Crossword clues. The amusement of it all hung like a cloud in the air.   
  
'So how big was the cup?' asked Nick. Catherine made her fingers into a circle. 'Oooooh, that's tiny.'  
  
'Agghhhh.,' Warrick groaned. 'This is way too much information for me. I'm outta here, got a home break to go to.' He waved a hand and disappeared.  
  
'So they really going to store it so some poor woman can be subjected to his DNA in future?' Sara was still grinning when she said this.  
  
'Absoloutely. It was a genuine clinic, and they're greatful for all the donations they can get.'  
  
'Is he going back some point, maybe he'll be a regular customer.'   
  
'I have no plans to be Miss Sidle.' Brass stood in the doorway straight faced. 'I prefer making those sorts of deposits elsewhere.' Nick stood by him and slapped him on the shoulder.  
  
'Sara and I have to go. Accident has just come in. Catch ya later..... HOTSHOT!'   
  
'Yeah that's right,' chipped in Sara. 'You know Brass, you look real tired tonight. You shouldn't work so HARD at your job.' Brass closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the two CSI's walked down the corridor making loud converstaion and peppering it with double entendres. This was going to take some time to go away.   
  
'Don't mind them,' said Catherine softly. 'It's just a bit of fun for now. I have to go too.'She pushed her still half full coffe cup into his hand. 'Little girl, sexual assault.' She stopped as she walked past him and touched the back of her hand to his cheek lightly in a suprisingly intimate gesture. 'The blush is burning your face STUD.Try not spill any.' Winking at him, she left.  
  
Brass flopped into a soft chair.  
  
'This is getting too much,' he complained. 'I mean why am I wasting my time with this Gil?'  
  
Grissom placed his glasses on the table and rested his chin on his hand looking at his friend.  
  
'No idea,' he offered. 'It had you rattled enough at the start, and I can't ever remember that happening. Now it appears to have de-generated into humiliation tactics, and for what reason, we don't know.'  
  
'Well, I've had enough. I'm through with chasing round Vegas giving this guy his belly laughs. The paper on my desk is stacking up and I have to be in court next week and I still haven't looked over my case notes for the trial.'  
  
'I see you and Catherine are getting on well.'  
  
'We're friends, that's all.' Brass waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. 'She's just enjoying my little dilema from this morning.'  
  
'Greg is saying you asked her out.' So Sanders had been lurking near the coffee pots again.  
  
'No, not really. I sort of asked her.....you know....we have break together now and again just like you and I do.' Grissom remained quiet and fixed the cop with a solid gaze. 'Alright,' Brass conceeded, 'I asked her out to dinner and she said no. There. Happy?'  
  
'Why should I be happy or unhappy if you go out with one of my CSI's?'  
  
'Well I'm not going out with her. she'd go out with you probably before me and that's not gonna happen either.'  
  
Grissom shifted somewhat uncomfortably in his chair. Brass was even more cranky than usual this evening it appeared. That took some doing normally. He removed the paper from his pocket.  
  
'This appears to be the end of the line,' he said opening it out on the table. 'There's no clue here. Just a poetry quote: Ever let the fancy roam, Pleasure never is at home.'  
  
'It's finished as far as I'm concerned. I know nothing of poetry or fancy and I'm gonna get some work done.' With a sense of finality in his voice, Brass pushed himself up, drained the last of Catherine's coffee and placed the mug in the sink. 'Bin that paper and I'll be in my office if you want me.'  
  
*******************************************   
  
Grissom looked about the break room at CSI with a frown.  
  
'Where's Catherine?' he asked, the puzzled expression still creasing his forehead.  
  
'Still at that indecent assault on the little girl, far as I know' offered Sara.  
  
'She was supposed to be back hours ago.'  
  
'You know she takes extra special care at those,' said Warrick. 'It's like a crime that she has to solve no matter what it takes when little girls are involved.'  
  
Nick unclipped a cell phone from his belt.  
  
'I'll give her a call and tell her to hurry so we can grab some breakfast.' He punched the speed dial number and waited. Nothing. Finally he disconnected and looked at the others. 'It's just ringing out.'  
  
'Did she take a handset radio with her?'  
  
'Don't know, but I'll call dispatch and see if she booked one out.' Sara picked up the receiver of the break room phone. 'She didn't have one when she left at start break time.' After a short conversation with the dispatch desk, Sara grimaced and shook her head. 'Nada.'  
  
Grissom pulled the piece of paper that had been in the envelope given to him by Brass from his trouser pocket and read it again.  
  
'Clues a bum,' Warrick commented watching Grissom's frown become deeper.  
  
'No Warrick, it just doesn't make sense after the others. It's a quote from Keats. The first line of a poem called 'Fancy'. And I don't think this one's a clue. Just a message.'  
  
'So it's about what we want or covert?'  
  
'It's a long time since I read the poem but I think this is a cryptic message.'  
  
'What does Jim like that he can't have?' Nick asked flicking the phone open and dialing Catherine's number again.  
  
'I'm not sure Nick.'  
  
'Still no reply. Pointless asking Jim if he's seen her because I know he's been closeted in his office behind an Everest of paper all night. Besides he's still sulking with us i think.'  
  
'Breakfast sounds good. Catherine's probably just running late.'  
  
*********************************************  
  
Grissom managed no more than two hours of disturbed sleep. He looked at the clock, it was almost lunchtime. Dialing the number of the lab's reception he asked Judy to check the time sheet and log. Catherine had not returned to the lab and had not entered a finish time for her shift. No-one had seen her. No-one had spoken to her. Gil thanked Judy and stepping into the shower began pondering the message again. Now he was worried.  
  
Half an hour later he was rapping loudly on the door of Brass's home. After a few minutes a dischevelled looking detective with mussed hair and a days growth on his face, was fixing him with a lazy eye on the doorstep. Inviting the scientist in, Brass went into the kitchen and began making coffee listening quietly to Grissom relating the problem that had brought him to the door. Placing hot drinks on the table, Brass sat in a chair opposite Grissom.  
  
'So you're not happy?' Jim said eventually.  
  
'I'm worried Jim.'  
  
'Are we thinking this is connected with the notes?'  
  
Grissom shrugged. 'Has to be.'  
  
'But they've all been directed at me. Having me do insane things.I thought eventually I was gonna have to jump of the Stratosphere Tower,naked without a parachute.'  
  
'Catherine is close to you.'  
  
'We've been down this road already Gil. She's a pal like you are,like Nick, the others.'  
  
'Be honest with yourself Jim, you like her more than a friend.'  
  
'Yeah, I think she's sexy, intelligent, she has a great way with animals and kids, and on occassion I have been known to have the odd dream, but I'm happy being her friend. And let's face it,I don't stand a chance with a woman like that.'  
  
'Any more notes?'  
  
'Not last night, but I haven't checked my personal mail yet.' Brass scraped his chair back and went into the hallway. Picking up his mail from a small table there, he flicked through the envelopes. His eyes darkened when he saw a plain, brown manilla envelope with the name 'Mr J Brass' scrawled on in black feltpen. Tearing at it, he removed two papers.   
  
'Well?' Grissom appeared at the door behind him. Brass showed him the two papers.  
  
'Son of a bitch!' yelled Brass angrily.'He asks if I'm missing someone.' He thrust the paper into Grissom's hand. 'The second is another one of those stupid clues.......Goddamn him!' His eyes flashed with an intense anger Grissom so rarely had seen. 'If this is about Cath and he's hurt her I swear to God I'll tear his fucking heart out!'  
  
'Captain Brass will feel at peace in the house of the law.' Grissom read aloud the clue over Brass's shoulder as he still clutched the piece of paper.  
  
'At peace? Is he gonna kill me too. House of the law. What is that? The PD? Is this S.O.B gonna gun me down at the station.'  
  
Grissom shook his head slowly and deliberately. 'No,' he said at length. 'Yes, this is for your benefit but this time the game's about Catherine.'  
  
'Gil we have to find her, and I really have to find out who's doing this.' Jim grabbed his phone and hit the speed dial. 'O'Riley, it's Brass, i need a favour, meet me at the station in a half hour and see if you can locate Vega, we're gonna need him too.... What's this about? Some sicko has Catherine Willows and we need to locate her, fast.' He disconnected the line. Tossing it onto the sofa he headed upstairs. 'Gimme two minutes to shower.' He offered to Grissom over his shoulder. 


	11. Chapter 11

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
Thank you for the reviews and encouragement. Catherine's gone and Brass feels the frustration. A short and not so sweet Brass chapter.  
  
ELEVEN  
  
Jim Brass paced his office like a caged animal figuring out an escape plan, arms folded across his chest, eyes narrowed in deep thought. Occassionally he stopped and rubbed his hand acorss the subble on his chin, but he said nothing and then resumed his beat. Gil Grissom sat in Brass's chair and watched his friends' slow torture. When the detective finally came to a halt, Grissom spoke.  
  
'Figured anything out yet?'  
  
'No. I'm just waiting for this bastard to come at me when I walk out the door.'  
  
'And if he does?'  
  
'He dies.' Grissom's eyebrow shot up in question.  
  
'And what about Catherine?'  
  
'Alright,' Brass gave an evil smirk. 'We find Catherine, then he dies.'  
  
'What about justice?'  
  
'She's on vacation.' He chuckled to himself. Grissom was uncomfortable and dearly hoped Brass was merely anxious and unaware of what he was saying. Yeah that was it, he convinced himself. Jim was upset about Catherine. He wouldn't really take matters into his own hands......would he?  
  
tbc 


	12. Chapter 12

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
Thank you for the reviews and encouragement.   
  
TWELVE  
  
Sara Sidle chewed the end of her pen. She absent mindly did this when deep in thought. Right now she poured over the map sent to Brass by his mysterious tormentor. By her side sat Nick Stokes. With pen in hand he was busy re-arranging the words and letters on the most recent clue. The one which hailed the start of the search for their friend. Finally in his own frustration, Nick screwed up the paper he was writing on and tossed it behind his shoulder. Throwing the pen onto the break room table, he sat back in his chair and thrust his hands deep into his trouser pockets.  
  
'I can't make head nor tale of this Sara,' he said dejectedly. 'It's just becoming a jumble of words the more I look at it.'  
  
'We'll get there,' Sara reassured. 'Patience. Take a break and then reassess it.'  
  
'House of the law. Gotta be the PD.'  
  
'Not always.' She went back to the map. 'Although, I can't see what else right now.'  
  
'Well Caherine isn't on the building that's for sure. Brass had SWAT all over the place like a rash.' They went silent for a moment. 'Hey, you think Brass has the hots for Catherine?' Sara looked up at him and shrugged.  
  
'Why you ask?'  
  
'That poem. Something Brass coverts but can't have. Then Cath goes AWOL. Warrick saw hm earlier. Said he was going out of his mind. I also heard from Greggo, that he overheard Brass tell Gris that if this guy hurt Cath, he was gonna kill him and probably not think twice about doing so. That spells out H.O.T.S in my book.'  
  
'You can't put too much on what Greg overhears by the coffee pot.'  
  
'He wasn't by the pot, he was listening in at the door this time.'  
  
Sara shook her head and smiled. The smile suddenly faded and she reached for the magnifying glass. Nick sat up and brought his chair in closer to her until she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. He was invading her personal space but she decided she could live with that.  
  
'What is it?' asked Nick unaware of what effect his closeness was having on his colleague.  
  
'This.' She took a red pen and with magnifyer in one hand she directed the nib of the pen to a spot with the other.  
  
'Looks like a church sign to me.'   
  
'Where's one place you'd go to find peace?'  
  
'A church.'  
  
'Who's the patron saint of policemen?' Nick looked blank and then more closely at the spot highlighted.   
  
'Looking at where you're pointing, I'd hazard a guess at ST Jude?'  
  
'That place has been derelict for years. It's falling down.'  
  
'Yeah.....Good place to hide out.'  
  
'Or hide someone you'd kidnapped.'  
  
'I'll call Brass.'   
  
tbc 


	13. Chapter 13

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
Thank you for the reviews and encouragement.   
  
THIRTEEN  
  
The siren screamed and mixed easily with the loud buzz of Las Vegas nightlife as Brass piloted his car through the evening traffic. Once off the busy main 'Strip' he shut off the noise but the red beacon balanced on the top of his car flashed angrily into the early darkness of a winters night in Nevada. Turning away from the main populated area, he drew up slowly by the looming building that had once been St Jude's Catholic Church.   
  
The delapidated structure was near a disused section of the railway line and next door to a long row of arches that had once seen the hub of freight trains loading and unloading their precious cargos. Now the yard stood empty, the arches crumbling and covered in graffiti, the fence long torn down and the church with its broken windows left unchecked to the elements of time. Even the homeless didn't sleep in this part of town anymore.  
  
Jim stood by the car surveying the scene in the semi-light. He went to the rear of the vehicle and removed his flash light and LVPD windbreaker from the trunk. Just for good measure, he also slipped an extra bullet clip from the metal lock-box into his trouser pocket. The radio crackled but there was no message for him. Sense told him to wait for back-up and the CSI team, but sense wasn't his strong point today. With flashlight in one hand and gun at the ready in the other, he pushed back the loose boards and entered the church.  
  
***********************************************  
  
'Can't you go any faster?' asked Nick.  
  
'Hey we're going too fast as it is,' snapped back Sara. She turned right at the next juncion causing Nick to turn his head sharply.  
  
'Where the hell you going? St Jude's is that way.'He jerked his tumb in the opposite direction.  
  
'Yeah, and Grissom's this way.'  
  
'Yeah about eight miles this way Sar.'  
  
'Come on Nick. Brass isn't so dumb as not to wait for back up. We'll get Gris and Warrick and then head on over there.' Nick flipped open his cell phone and dialed.  
  
'No signal.'  
  
'There never is near the railway lines. Too many power cables.'  
  
'Well let's hope Jim has the patience we all know he has deep down.'  
  
************************************************  
  
The dust hung thick in the damp air. Brass coughed several times as he felt his way carefully into the main chapel. All the art treasures, stained windows and anything else of value had long been stripped away. As he shone the light towards the altar he saw a torn canopy behind the higher structure depiciting a crucified Christ being prodded in the side by a Roman spear. With the eearily silent night, his heart pumping until he thought it was going to jump out of his chest and the foreboading atmosphere he found himself in, Jim suddenly felt an involunatry shiver run along his spine. Tightening his grip on the gun, he pressed forward, deeper into the building.  
  
tbc............. 


	14. Chapter 14

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
This is another shortie, but gosh,darn ain't the suspense just building nicely? Thanks for the reviews. Promise the next will be a lot longer.  
  
  
  
FOURTEEN  
  
Jim Brass tapped the butt of his gun along the wooden panels. Even in the semi darkness there appeared to be something amiss with this section of the wall. He couldn't quite put his finger on it until the fifth tap echoed back at him. He rapped again louder.  
  
'Catherine you in here?' He called not wanting to shout for fear of bringing something to the verge of collapse. A light tap answered his question.  
  
Brass began smoothing his hands along the ridges looking for an opening. Close to the floor he found a padlock. It was stuck. Locked, and there was no key. Behind the wall he heard shuffling.  
  
'Cath is that you?'   
  
'Brass?' The voice sounded tentative.   
  
'Yeah, it's Jim.' His own voice sounded relieved. 'Listen, there's a big lock on the panel, obviously some sorta door.' The voice that came back was louder, now more confident.  
  
'Turn to your left. Follow your hand along the panels. At the sixth from here,' she rapped to let him know which one she was standing behind,'there's definately some sort of door. It was the one I was pushed through.'  
  
'Okay.'  
  
Gently sliding his hands along the dusty wood, Jim edged his way carefully to the sixth panel. Inch by inch, he ran two fingers around the grooves but found nothing. In the bottom right corner of the panel however he felt out what appeared to be deep scratches that made up a figure of eight. He pressed against the loops. There was a loud creak and the panel began to slid of its own accord.  
  
'Jackpot!' He breathed.  
  
'Loser!' Came the voice behind. Brass felt a push in his back and something heavy connect with the back of his skull. Falling forward, the last thing he recalled was falling down three stone steps and landing on something soft.  
  
tbc................. 


	15. Chapter 15

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
As promised, a longer chapter. Thank you kindly for the reviews, in particlular, those who are following this tale and being kind in their comments. I appreciate them and take them to heart. You know who you are.........eternal gratitude for giving a Brassfic a chance.  
  
FIFTEEN  
  
Jim opened his eyes slowly. There was a strange, misty light surrounding his head, which felt fuzzy and almost pleasant. It felt like his hair was being smoothed back by gentle fingers in long, languid strokes. Was he dead? Was this an angel making his passage to the other side easy? He could barely see the face, but he knew it was a beautiful face. The skin flawless. Strangely, he felt a calm wash over him and right then thought that he could stay like this, cradled in the arms of this beauty for the rest of eternity. Then the pain became very real. Catherine held her torch in one hand and dabbed the hankerchief on the cut with her other. The blood flow on his forehead had now ceased to be even a trickle but the bump on the back of his head was turning nicely into something of a small hillock.   
  
'Congratulations,' she said sourly. 'Now we're both stuck.'  
  
'You say that like it's my fault,' he growled back repossesing his full faculties and wincing as he prodded the injury on the back of his head, moving to a sitting position at the same time.  
  
'And you've bled onto my best shirt.'  
  
'I'm sorry.Next time he pushes me down a flight of stone steps I'll ask him to make sure you're not wearing your best blouse.'  
  
'God aren't we the cranky one!'  
  
Brass sighed audibly then fell into silence. Catherine began brushing the dust from her shirt. It was ruined she thought, but said nothing else about it and switched off her mag-light. The room fell into total darkness.  
  
'Thank you,' she said quietly after several minutes. Brass turned in the direction the voice had come from.  
  
'For what?' he asked, almost inaudibly.  
  
'For coming to rescue me.'  
  
'Some rescue. I stink at the Knight in shining armour thingy.'  
  
'At least you tried.'   
  
'Yeah,' he half snorted, half chuckled. They fell silent again.  
  
***************************************************  
  
'They're where?' yelled Grissom over the noise of the police helicopter hovering overhead.  
  
'At St Jude's we think,' shouted back Nick.  
  
'You think?'  
  
'Well, that's the answer to the clue Sara came up with.'  
  
'And where's Brass now?'  
  
'Waiting for us there.'  
  
'Waiting?'  
  
'Yeah. I called him when we'd worked it out. He said he'd go over there and take a sneek. He's probably stood outside getting real pissed at our lack of time keeping skills.'  
  
'You honestly think he'd wait for back up?'  
  
Nick shrugged and fell silent. That he had no answer for. Grissom grabbed his coat sleeve and half dragged him to the Tahoe where Sara had kept the engine running. Gil climbed into the passenger seat and Nick clambered into the rear.  
  
'Miss Sidle, St Jude's if you please. Quickly.'  
  
*****************************************************  
  
'They're on their way?' asked Catherine eventually.  
  
'Should be. Nicky said they were going to Grissom and then they'd be here.'  
  
'You could have waited outside for them.'  
  
'Could have, but didn't. I had no idea what had happened to you. I wasn't gonna stand idly ouside while you were injured, or.....or whatever.'  
  
'You get a look at this guys face?'  
  
'Nope. You?'  
  
'Nope.'  
  
'How the hell did you end up here anyway?'  
  
'Some cop at the hosptial where I was dealing with the little girl said you'd asked to meet me here. He said you were in trouble with your puzzle.'  
  
'So you came right over?'  
  
'Yeah. I came to rescue you from your own bad habits.'  
  
'Do I have any?'  
  
'I don't know, do you?' Silence.   
  
'I sing in the shower sometimes.' Catherine switched the maglite on and shone it between them so it lit up their faces.  
  
'You SING in the shower? She asked incredulously. Brass grinned.  
  
'Yeah. Don't you?' Catherine thought about that for a moment. Staring the dectective directly in the eye, she eventually broke into a huge grin and nodded.  
  
'What you know. Guess I do.' The light went out again as Brass began to whistle and Catherine began humming along as she shuffled closer to her companion and dropped her head on his shoulder.  
  
**************************************************  
  
'Warrick's going to meet us there with Vega,' said Grissom snapping shut his cell phone cover.  
  
'What about S.W.A.T?' asked Sara negotiating the left turn with the skill of a rally car driver.  
  
'Let's hold back until we can assess the scene first. We have no idea what's going on, who or what we're gonna find when we get there and I don't want any sirens or cops scaring this guy into doing something rash if he has Cath or even Jim for that matter. Nick, you managed to get Jim yet?'  
  
Nick heaved a sigh of frustration and held out the phone in a 'you wanna inspect the phone' type gesture. 'Naw,' he drawled. 'No signal. There's a loada electricity lines around there. Kills any signals.'  
  
'Let's just hope that's all that's dead Nick.'  
  
****************************************************  
  
'How's your head?' asked Catherine.  
  
'It hurts like hell,' Brass inhaled sharply as he touched the bump again. 'Feels like I've been hit by a train.'  
  
'Well, if it makes you feel an better, you LOOK lie you've been hit by one.'  
  
'Gee thanks. And I thought angels were suposed to be kind.'  
  
'What?' Brass fell quiet again. He was glad it was dark so Catherine couldn't see his cheeks redden. He had come very close to admitting his mistaken view of the situation when he'd been coming around from the hit on the head. 'What did you say?' Catherine pressed on with her question.This time Jim switched on his torch and related his confused state after being hit. When he'd completed his confession, Catherine was giggling.  
  
'You thought I was an angel?' She mused.  
  
'C'mon, I'd just had a knock on the head and fallen on my ass.'  
  
'No, you fell on top of me.'  
  
'Under different circumstances I'd have enjoyed that position.'  
  
'Well you woke up in my arms.'  
  
'Didn't appreciate my good fortune especially with you griping at me.'  
  
'Griping?'  
  
'Yeah, you were nagging me about bleeding all over the place.'  
  
'Well, you shouldn't have gotton yourself in that position in the first instance.' Her voice began to rise. Brass matched her.  
  
'What am I supposed to do? Leave you in the mercy of this guy?'  
  
'I can handle it.'  
  
'Oh sure, you're locked behind a wall in a disused church in a part of Vegas that the rats won't even visit!'  
  
'So are you!'  
  
'Why are we shouting at each other?'  
  
'I don't know!' She lowered her voice. 'I don't know.' Brass composed himself, took a deep breath and moved his face closer to Catherine's.  
  
'I didn't wait for back up because I couldn't stand the thought of anyone hurting you, and I not being able to do anything about it. I'd never forgive myself, and I wouldn't want to.' She lowered her eyes and looked at his mouth as he spoke. Using a dusty fingertip, she dragged it from his top lip, across his bottom and down his chin where it rest.  
  
'It's not your job to worry about me,' she chastised kindly.  
  
'I can't help it.'  
  
'You're gonna have to get that out of your system.'  
  
'I don't want to.' He pushed his face against hers, planted a kiss against her cheek then withdrew hastily and waited for the slap. It never came.  
  
'Jim, it would never work, you and I.'  
  
'Why? Because I'm a short, slightly overweight, thinning, middle-aged guy and you're beautiful?'  
  
'No. Because I care too much about you as a friend.' The look between them shattered the silent atmsophere without a word being spoken. Brass tried desperately to hide the disappointment in his eyes by shutting off the light, but Catherine turned her own on. Then she pressed a kiss to his lips. When they parted she smiled slightly and swiped a thumb across the lipstick which had transferred to him.  
  
'Jim,' she said finally.  
  
'Hmmm?'  
  
'Have you been eating garlic again?'  
  
tbc.................... 


	16. Chapter 16

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
SIXTEEN  
  
'How you feeling?' asked Catherine.  
  
'Better now.' Brass pushed himself to his feet then reached down and offered his hand to Catherine who pulled herself to a standing position.  
  
'What's the plan?' she asked. Jim began tapping on the wall with the butt of his gun.  
  
'We try and find the most hollow part of the wall.'  
  
'Why?'  
  
'To see if a bullet will go through or moreover, these old buildings had loads of secret passages, moveable walls and such like, so if we're trapped via one way, you can bet your damnedest we can get out another.'  
  
'Unless the smart son of a bitch has that covered too.'  
  
'My guess is he hasn't.'  
  
'How do you know all this about secret passages and moving walls?'  
  
'I used to be an alter boy.' Catherine gave him her best suprised look.She was certainly learning a lot about the detective tonight. Brass in turn gave her his most outstanding 'butter wouldn't melt' boyish grin and then added, 'That was before my rebellious days. I love my history too.'   
  
'Hmmm. Dumb Flatfoot does NOT apply in this case.'  
  
'Glad you noticed.' Catherine playfully pushed his arm, then drawing her own firearm, began tapping the wall at the opposite end.  
  
*********************************************************  
  
The Tahoe screeched to a halt behind the Taurus directly outside St Jude's. All three CSI's got out of the vehicle and stood looking up at the monstrous and foreboadbing building.  
  
'Well Brass is definately about. That's his car,' said Nick.  
  
'Go to the top of the class Sherlock,' teased Sara.  
  
'Okay children.....'Grissom broke off as the Tahoe carrying Warrick Brown and Sam Vega slid to a halt behind the others. When the whole group was assembled, Grissom continued.'Alright. We stick together on this one. I don't want anyone breaking off. You find something, you go in pairs. We make sure we can see each other within 5 feet at ALL times.'  
  
'Let's do it,' chipped in Warrick drawing his gun and entering the building as Brass had.  
  
****************************************************  
  
'I got something,' Brass almost whispered as he dropped to his knees in a corner. Scratching at the wooden panel he took out a penknfe and began digging at the thickly dust and soil coated wood.  
  
'What is that?' asekd Catherine shining her own torch above his and giving off more light.  
  
'It's a dent in the armour.'  
  
'What, you gonna dig us out with your trusty little Swiss army knife?'  
  
'Patience dearest. I'm almost there.'  
  
'Where?' Brass an his hands all over the bottom of the wall. He scraped a little more. The sweat was beginning to drip down his face. Mingling with the dry blood from over his eye, it gave the apparition of the wound opening up again prompting Catherine to dig out her hanky and dab at his face again. Brass pulled back.  
  
'Wha........?'  
  
'Easy Tiger, just mopping your brow.'  
  
'Thank you nurse Willows, but Dr Brass has just finished surgery.' Pushing two fingers against a gouge on the woodwork, the wall in front of them opened about a foot wide.  
  
'We go this way,' said Brass making a cursory look inside the deep, black doorway. 'Can you get through easy?' Catherine pushed past him and glided effortlessly through the gap.  
  
'It's not me I'm worried about squeezing through the gap, it's you.'  
  
'Oh thank YOU!' Brass breathed in, and followed Catherine into the darkness.   
  
tbc.................. 


	17. Chapter 17

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
SEVENTEEN  
  
'You find anything yet?' shouted Sara across the line of criminalists and one Vegas cop towards Warrick. Brown smirked as Nick pushed his baseball cap back on his forehead in relief as yet another stange scratching sound turned out to be Vega sliding his foot along the dusty stone floor in the hope of finding a loose slab that might warrant further investigation. Shining his light directly into the detectives face he gave him a stern glare,prompting Sam to hold up a hand in apology.  
  
'Nothing unusual,' yelled back Warrick in answer to Sara's question.  
  
'Unusual!' exclaimed Nick. 'This whole Goddamn place is unusual. Gives me the creeps.'   
  
'Quit whining you big girl.' They move forward another few paces. The sweeping light from five strong Mag-lites illuminating a full row of solid oak pews, dusty floors and the whole array of cobwebs that had accumulated during the 'diuse' period of St Jude's chequered history.  
  
'I can't get that Cath and Jim might be here somewhere,' continued Nick. 'I mean this place is HUGE. They could be anywhere.'  
  
'I think this a red herring,' concluded Warrick.  
  
'Why?'  
  
'Why would a guy who was out to get a cop and a criminalist lead us directly to them?'  
  
'You call this direct?' Suddenly a hiss came from the opposing end of the line.  
  
'Keep it down,' hissed Grissom. 'We need to listen for any sound if we're to find them.'  
  
*******************************************************  
  
Catherine slid her perfectly booted foot along the side of the passage wall. Suddenly it dipped into nothing. Stopping abruptly, Brass all but collided with her in the dark.  
  
'Easy there Jersey.' She touched a hand against his cheek which now had two days growth, stopping him in his tracks. He was so close to her she swore she could smell the faint aroma of mint on his breath.  
  
'What is it?' he asked in a low, barely audible voice.  
  
'Not sure. Passage stops. Might just be a step.'  
  
'Well why don't we turn the torch on?'  
  
'Because we need to save the batteries. Mine's not too good and we have no idea how long we'll be here.'  
  
'A quick flick won't harm.' He snapped his light on. About a foot below them was a set of five well worn stone steps. The light went out. 'A step missing,' he thought out loud as Catherine felt him push past her and drop with a thud onto the step below. She let out a squeak as a large pair of hands grasped her waist and pulled her forward. There was air between her feet and the floor for a moment, then hard stone under her heel and a body sliding against hers. Catherine placed her hands against square shoulders to steady herself.   
  
'Brass,' she gasped.  
  
'Yeah?'  
  
'You can take your hands off my hips now.'   
  
************************************************  
  
'GRISSOM!' sang out Sara as she lifted the dirty canvas depicting Christ on the cross which in turn hid the wall behind the high altar. Grissom appeared at her shoulder as the others jogged up closely behind. 'Disturbed ground.'  
  
'Could be rats,' offered Vega.  
  
'Do rats have size nine shoes these days?' Asked Grissom with a trace of sarcasm in his voice. He brandished his torch along the bottom of the wall taking in the scuff marks and shoe print by the far side of the panels. As silence descended on the gathered group, Grissom produced his tweezers from the inside of his jacket pocket and knelt. Picking up the small mass he raised it to the light. 'Someone is a nervous nail biter.' Suddenly Vega, Nick and Warrick drew their guns at the sound of scrapping and shuffling from the back of the church. All three broke away from behind the canvas. Warrick took position behind a stone pillar, Nick took the opposite column. Vega crouched behind the lower altar and removed the safety from his weapon. The silence was deafening as what seemed like an eternity passed. Darkness decended upon the church again as the shuffling got louder and closer.  
  
With a yell of 'LVPD, HOLD IT!' from Vega and illumination from both Grissom and Sara, the shuffling form froze like a rabbit in the car headlamp.  
  
'GREG!' Sara gave a strangled cry more of annoyance than fear.   
  
'What are you doing here?' Grissom also sounded mad.  
  
'I....I....' Greg stuttered whilst shielding his eyes from the angry blaze of two torches blaring into his face. 'I heard from Doc Robbins about what you guys were up to. Thought I could help.' He ended almost sheepishly. Grissom walked forward and thrust a small envelope into his hand.  
  
'Good, you can get this back to the lab and see if you can determine wether our kidnapper or our Captain doesn't look after their nails.' The dismissive tone of the CSI supervisor made Greg shrink back and silently withdraw from the scene.  
  
********************************************************   
  
'Now what?' asked Catherine dejectedly slapping a hand against the damp stone wall then leaning back and slumping to the floor. Jim Brass ran his hands over the rock and remained silent.'I mean, we could go on for ever and not get anywhere.'  
  
'We'll get out. There has to be somewhere this opens.'  
  
'But where?'   
  
'Well if you help me by turning a light on, I can see what the lay of the land is. And don't complain about batteries.'  
  
Catherine smacked her fingers together brushing the dust away and stood next to Brass. Flicking the dimming light on in her hands, she found Jim now on his hands and knees, running his hands through the dirt along the bottom of the rock. Taking a step back as the torch lit up she found a black, denim clad backside sticking in the air, facing her, the handle of his gun protruding from the pouch on his belt.   
  
'Not bad I guess.' Catherine didn't realise she had said this out loud until the detective whipped his head about.  
  
'What did you say?' he asked screwing his features into a rather ugly grimace.  
  
'Not a bad guess,' she lied back. 'Not bad how you guess there might be an opening down there.' Jim went back to his minor, penknife excavations giving her the 'WOMEN!' roll of his eyes gesture.  
  
*********************************************************  
  
'There has to be something down.........' Grissom's words trailed off as he saw the lock on the panel then the finger marks through the dirt on the wood. Close by he saw a blue heap by the panel furthest away.  
  
Warrick picked the jacket up and ran the light across the bright yellow letters L.V.P.D.  
  
'Looks like Brass has been here,' he commented dryly.  
  
'But he wasn't alone.' A second, larger footprint was clear next to the policeman's smaller one.  
  
'We got ourselves a Big Foot.'  
  
'We've got ourselves a kidnapper and possibly killer.'  
  
'Hey guys,' Nick butted in but Grissom and Warrick carried on their analyzation of the scene.  
  
'Call it Warrick.'  
  
'My guess is that Brass was definately by this wall.'  
  
'So where did he go?'  
  
'Hey guys.........' Nick sounded a little more urgent.  
  
'Had to be through the w..........'  
  
'GUYS!' Nick snapped louder. Grissom gave him a frown and the shrug of his shoulders asked the 'What' question. 'Does anyone else smell that?'  
  
The group began sniffing the air like animals looking for a scent. They found the unpleasant aroma of burning wafting through the church and getting stronger by the second.  
  
'My God,' said Grissom, 'Everyone out....NOW!'  
  
tbc...................................   
  
' 


	18. Chapter 18

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
EIGHTEEN  
  
Sara stood by the smoking, charred remains of the structure, a single tear streaking down her cheek. She was desperately trying to hold back the dam that was building behind her eyes. A gentle arm slipped about her shoulders. Grissom stood next to her,a grim line set across his mouth.  
  
'Fire Chief has okayed us to go in and examine the scene as long as we wear hard hats.'  
  
'Sure.' Sara sniffed loudly.  
  
'Warrick thinks they're still alive, at least probably Catherine might be.'  
  
'What about Brass?'  
  
'No-one's too sure about Jim,especially in light of us finding his windbreaker. We know for sure he was in there.'  
  
'At some point,' corrected Sara defensively. 'We know he was in there at some point!' Grissom looked mildly suprised until Sara added, 'So the cranky ass has grown on me.....a little.....' The dam began to crack and the flow began as a trickle down both cheeks.  
  
'I told the guys I can bring in dayshift.'  
  
'These are OUR people Gil, I don't want anyone but us touching them when we find them.' Grissom managed more of a grimace than a smile.  
  
'That's what Nick and Warrick said too.' He handed her a construction workers hard hat as his lips brushed her forehead and the arm tightened about her shoulders.  
  
***************************************************  
  
'Man this is gonna be the hardest crime scene I'm ever gonna have to process,' said Nick pulling on his blue overalls.  
  
'Think positive Nicky, they're alive,' said Warrick strapping his utility around his slim waist.  
  
'Catherine maybe, but Brass.........'Nick's words trailed off and the lump in his throat suddenly got much bigger.  
  
'Just because we found his jacket doesn't mean.....'  
  
'His car's still here War. We found his jacket, that doesn't bode well.'  
  
A firefighter came striding over to them, his clothing and apparatus covered in black, foul smelling smokey dust. In his thick gloved hand he carried two plastic bags.  
  
'Excuse me Sir,' he said handing the bags out for Nick to take, 'We found these under what was left of the altar. Seemed kinda outta place in the context of the building.' The two CSI's looked at each other. Warrick sought out a pair of latex gloves and snapped them on with great expertise. Nick opened the first bag. Warrick extracted the melted remnants of a cell phone. Turning it in his hands, Warrick shook his head.  
  
'Can't get a make on it, casing too messed up from the fire.' He replaced it and the bag was sealed. 'Maybe Archie can get something off it and tell us who it belongs to.' He removed the dogeared, burnt lump from the second bag.  
  
'Looks like a wallet,' said Nick eyes narrowing as he attempted to make out what it really was. Warrick flipped it open. It was indeed a wallet. They were looking at a charred twenty dollar note in the pocket and an old photograph of a young girl with light coloured hair and a big smile hugging tightly a man somehwhere in his mid-thirties, with short hair and a floppy fringe. The man in the picture was younger but the face was familiar. Nick let out a loud groan of dispair. 'Oh hell. Man, that's Brass and his daughter.' The plastic credit card partly melted to the leather confirmed the worst. It belonged to Mr J Brass.  
  
Warrick dropped it back into the bag and sealed it as Sara and Grissom came to stand by them. Grissom frowned as he saw the tears begin to well up in Nick's eyes. Sara shook her head in denial as it dawned on her what Warrick held in his hand.  
  
'It belongs to Brass,'said Warrick in between coughs and chewing nervously on his bottom lip.  
  
'That makes this is a body hunt,' said Grissom in depressed tones walking away trying to hide his own emotion that was threatening to release itself from his eyes.  
  
tbc....................... 


	19. Chapter 19

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
The suspense is building and Grissom and the remainder of the team have practically convinced themselves Catherine and Jim have died in the inferno that used to be St Jude's Church.   
  
Many thanks to the reviewers as always. Your comments are greatfully accepted and once again I thank you for giving a girl who's sweet on Brass the encouragement to continue with a Brass based fic.  
  
  
  
NINETEEN  
  
'I am NOT staying here while you play Tarzan and me play Jane!' Catherine stamped her foot on the damp ground. Jim squeezed himself further through the gap in the stone until only his shoulders,head and arms were left.  
  
'Forget this modern independent woman crap just for a second and let me help you. Just do as I ask for once woman!' He shuffled a little more into the hole grabbing up his torch as he did so. Catherine opened and closed her mouth in shock but nothing came out except indignant grunts.  
  
'I'll be back soon.' He disappeared into the dark.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
Grissom took a long drink from the water bottle Sara offered. Through a mixture of exhaustion and emotion he closed his eyes for a second and pictured the last time he had seen Catherine and Jim in the breakroom. She had made jokes about him and his visit to the 'bank' and vaguely wondered what had actually happened between them when he had gone into the cubicle. But they had been alive, tired yes, but there at CSI where they belonged, part of the team, part if HIS team. His friends. This feeling of loss bearing down on him, was more painful than anything he'd ever encountered.  
  
******************************************************   
  
Brass caught his breath and dusted off his shirt and jeans. Before he could speak Catherine began smacking him about the back and shoulders.  
  
'Where the...' Slap. 'Bloddy hell.....'Slap. 'Have you been?' She demanded. He put his hands up to defend himself and covered his head from her stinging blows.  
  
'Hey, hey......' Jim took hold of her wrists and pulled her in close to his body. 'What the hell's wrong with you?'   
  
'You've been gone nearly an hour!' Her eyes blazed at him in the torch light. 'I thought you'd left me.....idiot!'  
  
'C'mon baby, are you for real? I'd never leave you.' Inhaling a deep breath Brass was heard to mutter 'Oh fu.....' before pressing his mouth against Catherine's in a long, deep embrace.  
  
********************************************************  
  
The last of the shattered remains of the altar were dragged away and the scorched canopy was torn down revealing the long, wooden panelled wall at the back of the church where Brass's jacket had been discovered before the fire. Police search lights had been moved inside the church illuminating the darkened area that at that moment held the deep secret of Jim and Catherine's whereabouts.   
  
'We've been covering this place for hours now, and still nothing,' whined Nick.  
  
'We keep going until we find something,' said Warrick. 'No matter how long it takes.  
  
'Er guys,' offered Sara, 'In case you missed it we have Brass's jacket and wallet and what's betting that's his cell phone too.'  
  
'But we haven't got any evidence of bodies,' said Grissom silently coming up behind them. Sara held her chest and Nick flinched. 'If we have to stay here for weeks, we'll find them.'  
  
'Hey Gris,' said Warrick. 'Take a look at this.' The CSI's huddled around the seared wood Brown pointed out. There was a hole burnt through the sixth panel measuring several inches in diameter. Grissom knelt and shone his torch through the hole.  
  
'There appears to be a room behind here,' he explained. 'Wait a minute....there's fresh boot marks in the dust. Pass me a hammer Warrick.'  
  
*****************************************************  
  
'I cannot BELIEVE you kissed me like that!'Catherine's indignant tone made Jim blush slightly.  
  
'Well it seemed like the right thing to do at that moment.' Brass grinned impishly, pleading his case with relish.  
  
'The right thing to do is get us the hell out of here.'  
  
'Well if you let me get a word in. God this is worse than being married.'  
  
'Not a chance baby.'  
  
'Alright, why you would never marry me or starting from the beginning, date me.?'  
  
'Are you asking for a reason or proposing?'  
  
'Asking.....for now.'  
  
'We've been through this already. You're my friend. It's hard for me to think of you as anything else. You're also a colleague.I can't be attracted to someone I work alongside so closely.' Brass inhaled deeply and his eyes narrowed as they searched her face in the dim light. 'Quit looking at me like that would ya.'  
  
'Like what?'  
  
'Like I've just taken your last sweetie.'  
  
'I've seen the way you look at Warrick and Grissom. Catherine, why don't you just kick me in the nuts and get it over with! '  
  
'You asked. I answered......And I DO NOT look at thsoe boys in any other way than as friends........ But alright I'll admit ....You look okay in those jeans and that bit of scruff makes you look good..........and you're....you're not a bad kisser. Better than I imagined.....not that I've ever imagined it!'  
  
Brass turned towards the opening once more, ignoring her last remark but smiling to himself.  
  
'There's a way out of here,' he said climbing through the gap again.  
  
'A way out?'  
  
'Yeah, this passage comes out other side of the railway tracks. The Knight rescues the Damsel but gets no thanks from her after claiming his payment of a kiss. Instead he gets a knee jerk reaction to the groin!' He disappeared. Catherine held up her hands in resignation and followed him through the hole muttering,  
  
'Just because I admitted you were alright with your lips doesn't mean we're gonna be picking out furniture or getting a dog or anything....And there's certainly gonna be no long, warm showers together.....Brass are you listening to me...........'  
  
tbc........................ 


	20. Chapter 20

Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff  
  
TWENTY  
  
Grissom and Sara both stood with hands on hips inside the now well lit hidden chamber somewhat at a loss as to where Catherine and Jim may be now.  
  
'Well,' offered Sara, 'I'm now convinced they weren't in the church at least when the fire broke out.'  
  
'Me too.' Grissom sighed heavily feeling a great weight lifting from his shoulders. 'The trick now is to find out exactly where they are.'  
  
From outside there was a great commotion and shouting prompting the two CSI's to peer out of the room across towards the exit. Nick appeared at the open gap that was the door and waved his arms hurridly.  
  
'C'mon guys, we got 'em!' he yelled.  
  
Outside the paramedics were dressing the cut above Jim's eye which had opened again and he had greatfully taken an ice pack to sooth the Mount Everest that had grown on the back of his head. Catherine stood close by snuggled down into a blanket one of the medics had thrown about her shoulders. Grissom looked up at the stone carving of St Jude and silently gave thanks to the guardian of police officers.   
  
Warrick pulled Catherine into a hug followed by Nick who planted a kiss on her cheek. Sara waited until the face was patched then ruffled Jim's hair as if he were a favourite pet. Brass grinned at her, one eyebow arched at the sudden display of affection. Sara returned the grin and shrugged before wandering over to Catherine.  
  
'How you feeling Jim?' Grissom appeared by the rear of the ambulance.  
  
'Like shit, seeing as you ask. Thanks.'  
  
'What happened?'  
  
'I came here to get Cath after Sara and Nick worked out the clue. I found her in a room behind the high altar but when I slid the hidden door back, someone came up behind me and pushed me inside.'  
  
'You found another way out?'  
  
'Yeah. Long story, but the tunnel came out other side of the railway. And before you ask no I didn't get a look at the guy who pushed me in there.'  
  
'We'll debrief back at CSI next shift. In the meantime, I want you both to stay with someone.' Brass cast a glance over at Catherine who was in the middle of her second hug from Warrick. 'Cath can stay with Sara, you can crash in my guest room as long as you don't mind sharing with a couple of experiments I have ongoing at the moment.'  
  
***************************************************  
  
Brass shifted from one foot to the other nervously. His eye was throbbing and he felt like every bone in his body ached. The room otherwise empty, he was alone with Catherine waiting for the others.  
  
'Listen before everyone else gets here,' he said quietly. 'I'm sorry about my behaviour in the church. Kissing you and all.'  
  
'Oh that.' Catherine went silent.  
  
'Yeah well I just don't want any hard feelings Catherine. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you...........'  
  
'You didn't embarrass me. I just never knew how you really felt.Always thought you were just flirting with me. You know, it was a bit of fun.'  
  
Jim threw his hands up in surrender. He shook his head and felt the lump on the back of his head. He was sure it had grown since that morning.  
  
'How's you head?' Catherine noticed him wince.  
  
'Alright. Hurts like hell, just like my eye.'  
  
'You've been through the wars for me. I should be greatful. I never did really thank you for getting us out of there. For coming after me in the first place.'  
  
'Any of the team would have done the same. They did in fact. They came looking for both of us. Never knew they cared so much, well not about me anyways.' Catherine brushed his hair to one side then put her hand to his cheek.   
  
'That's very sweet of you to say Jim, but it was you that found me. It was you that helped me and kept me company in the dark. You know I wish there could be more between us, but there can't. Not right now. I still have a lot of Eddie issues.' It was her turn to press her lips to his. 'Thank you. From now on you'll always be my Knight in Shining Armour.' Brass kept his eyes closed, lost in the moment. 'And for what it's worth baby, I'm sorry, it's just the way it has to be for a time.' She pulled away as Nick and Sara entered followed closely by Greg, Warrick and Grissom. The door was closed as Grissom spoke,  
  
'Okay, sorry to say but another envelope arrived this morning at the desk for you Jim.  
  
tbc.................................. 


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer : Please see chapter one  
  
Author's Note: Sorry it's taken so long to update........but hey better late than never I say........So where were we?.Oh yeah, someone is playing games with Brass who's finally sort of admitted his feelings for Catherine who in her turn has promptly put him firmly at arms length even if he did sort of rescue her from a burning building......  
  
Warning: There's a couple of naughty words in this one...sorry..  
  
TWENTY-ONE  
  
Both Grissom and Brass looked up over the doorway of the mock-Tudor mansion at the Flying Dove carving. It was now almost midnight and the air had taken on a decided chill, whilst mist had descended about the driveway and grounds.  
  
'Hound of the Baskervilles,' said Grissom.  
  
'What?'  
  
'Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.'  
  
'I know, Sherlock Holmes........but what has he to do with a mansion in Las Vegas?'  
  
Grissom threw Brass an arched eyebrow.  
  
'Atmosphere. Look at the weather.'  
  
Jim reached out a finger and pressed the doorbell, then added, 'Let's just hope then there's no fucking big dog to bite my booty then. Don't fancy having my ass hurt as well as the rest of me.'  
  
The bell clanged deeply and loudly but there was no immediate answer. A slight chill went down Grissom's spine as Brass began blowing his breath out trying to make cigar circles for his own amusement. He pressed the bell again. Seconds later the sound of a heavy bolt was slid back and a latch dropped.  
  
The door was opened by a scantily dressed woman somewhere in her early thirties. Her blonde hair cascaded about her shoulders freely.  
  
'Yes?' Her voice was low and seductive.  
  
'I'm Jim Brass, Las Vegas police department, this is Gil Grissom, criminalistics may we........' The woman stood back and waved an inviting hand. Stepping into the hallway, the door was closed firmly behind the two men.  
  
'You're late,' the woman chastised.  
  
'For what?' asked Grissom, his eyes narrowing, watcing the woman carefully as she walked behind a large walnut desk.  
  
'My name is Elizabeth, and here are the keys.'  
  
'What no enevlope. No lines to feed me about playing the game right and I'll be rewarded?' Elizabeth ignored him and unhooked a large silver ring from a hook from the wall mount directly to her left.  
  
'And these would be the keys to where?' Brass took up the keyring handed over to him.  
  
'To the changing room of course. Second door on the right, first floor top of the stairs.' Turning her back on the men in a somewhat blatantly dismissive gesture, Elizabeth disappeared into a rear room.  
  
Climbing the steps slowly, the two men found the door as indicated by their reluctant hostess. Slipping the key into the lock, the portal swung open into what Brass could only describe as a high school locker room.  
  
'Now what?' asked Brass almost in fear of what the answer might be.  
  
'Second part of the clue says something about square red, square blue and square green being the answer to our quest.'  
  
'So we look for something red, blue and green?'  
  
'Must be a game.'  
  
'In here? What about the first part of the clue that led us to this delightfully creepy joint in the first place?'  
  
'Freedom of the Dove will bring you closer to nature. This is Freedom of the Dove house and........' Grissom stopped in mid sentence his jaw dropping slightly as he squinted to read the notice above a door at te opposing end of the locker room. Jim joined him then groaned loudly.  
  
'Oh you gotta be shittin' me.'The dispair in his voice was evident. Gil too had paled slightly as he read out loud,  
  
'No clothes beyond this point.'  
  
'It's a damn naturist place. I ain't taking my clothes off for no man.' Brass folded his arms defensively across his chest.  
  
'You haven't gotten anywhere by being stubborn on this case Jim. Let's find a secure locker in this place and get on with it.'  
  
'No! No WAY amigo. No, nein, niet, non, nada....NO... DAMN....WAY!'  
  
'Jim?'   
  
'No way Gil.....Hey don't look at me like I'm some sorta pussy man alright. You're not the one that's had to swim in mud, jerk off into a cup. I've had the crap knocked out of me in a boxing ring, I've been cracked on the head, pushed down steps, had the very building around me set on fire. Hell I've even had Catherine try and beat the hell outta me at one point....And NOw I gotta go around some Addams Family creep spot butt naked?'  
  
Grissom stopped unbuttoning his shirt and cast a quizzical glance at Brass.  
  
'Why would Catherine hit you?' He was puzzled.  
  
'Forget I said that.'  
  
'Why?'  
  
'She was stressed.'  
  
'But why?'  
  
'We were in a burning building.'  
  
'Why did Catherine hit you?'  
  
'She thought I'd left her.'  
  
'Oh.'  
  
'And I kissed her.'  
  
Grissom looked at his friend incedulously. The detectiveheld up his hands in surrender.  
  
'Alright, I make some lousy judgements at times.'  
  
'I wasn't thinking about that.'  
  
'Well what are you looking like that at me for?'  
  
'I can't belive you kissed Catherie and lived to tell the tale with all your limbs intact. You'd better start unloading your clothes or we'll never get out of here.' Muttering to himself, Brass began tugging at the belt holding his jeans up whilst simultaneously kicking off his shoes.  
  
'Hope there's pleanty of heating in this place,' he complained.  
  
'It has under floor heating.'  
  
'Gil, in this weather, it's not my damn feet I'm worried about pal!'  
  
tbc................. 


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer : Please see chapter one  
  
TEWNTY TWO  
  
'Jim.' Gil Grissom was now more than a little impatient. 'Jim!' He hissed again. Brass popped his head from behind the locker.  
  
'What?' He sounded almost as annoyed as the scientist.  
  
'Are you ready?'  
  
'Just give me a minute.'  
  
'You've had several.....What's the big deal?'  
  
'Listen pal, showering after sports with ther guys is quite alright, but strolling around a mansion in my birthday suit with my best buddy isn't exactly my idea of fun.'  
  
Grissom's mouth twitched in a smile.'You enjoy showering with other men?'  
  
'Hell no! I was just saying that that's far more natural than this.'  
  
Gingerly Brass stepped from behind the locker which up until that point had been hiding his modesty. Instinctivley his hands went to cover his groin and his face took on a deeper shade of red. Grissom took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. This was going to be a difficult night.  
  
********************************************  
  
'We have a hit on the bitten fingernails.' Greg finished his sentence as he skidded to a halt in the corridor by the breakroom. 'Matthew Peters.'  
  
'Who?' Nick threw his apple core into the waste basket.  
  
'Peters?' Catherine repeated the name puzzled but feeling like she should know the name. Greg danced on the spot willing her to remember and yet bursting to tell her the answer. Then her face changed. Here eyes widened with realization. 'But it can't be him.'  
  
'Why not?' asked Nick.   
  
'Because he went to the chamber five years ago. Is someone planting evidence here?' Greg couldn't contain himself any longer.  
  
'That's why this case is fast becoming a creep fest,' he blurted out.  
  
'Woah here.' Nick stood up and made a large T sign out of his hands. 'Time out here guys. Who's this Peters character?'  
  
'Killed one of his students when she rejected his advances about ten years ago. He was a languages teacher at Valley High. His kid was also in the same class as the girl.'  
  
'And he has his fathers DNA?'  
  
'That's what we have to find out. Matthew Junior. He was in the frame for the killing too. Due to the fact he's had a fight with the girl at a party the night before. Took his DNA as part of the investigation at the same time as daddy's.'  
  
'Surely if he was ruled out then his DNA should have been destroyed?'  
  
'Should have been.' Greg went silent as the implications of this find sunk in. 'It could be he has something with his fathers genteic print on it.'  
  
'Like fingernails? that's too strange.  
  
'Could explain why dearly deceased daddy's file threw up. By the way, it's five years ago to the day daddy was strapped down. And I took it upon myself to read the case file, t was the first time you and Brass worked together on a case Catherine.'  
  
'Today's the anniversary? It's somewhere to start.'  
  
'So you think this is just aboring old revenge thing?'   
  
'We get threats all the time Nick. Brass and I brushed them off as the ranting of a sixteen year old. The evidence was sound. DNA wasn't as good then as it is now but it was nailed on. Kid was a little strange though. Watched his father die without aflicker of emotion which was weired considering the sog and dance he made at the trial when daddy was found guilty.' Catherine snatched up the SUV keys from the table.'Nick, call Warrick and Sara. If they're through, tell them to meet us at Freedom of the Dove House.'  
  
**********************************************   
  
Jim Brass was quickly running out of inanimate objects to stand behind. So far, he had managed to make progress through the three rooms they had been in and two corridors they had searched. The badminton court had been the hardest to hide in so far, and finally reaching the exit of that room, he'd decided he hadn't run as quickly since college. Grissom for his part had strolled along without a care in the world, but watching all the time, taking in his surroundings and looking for green red and blue squares.  
  
Opening another door led the two into what appeared to be a library. It was larger than everywhere else they had been up to that point, and was decked out in rosewood panelling, with the walls covered from floor to ceiling with endless books. The wall lights and the blazing open fire gave it a warm, welcoming feeling.   
  
'Nice,' said Brass running a finger along a shelf then selecting the largest book, plucked it from its resting place and held it where his hands had been guarding since he had shed his clothes. At last he started to relax a little.  
  
Grissom's attention was drawn to a games table where he found a partially played chess game. Moving the black Queen two squreshe smiled to himself.  
  
'Someone's gonna be ticked off at you when they ome back,' said Jim joining him.  
  
'It's obvious Jim,' said Grissom matter of factly. 'Black can now put the white King in check in four more moves.'  
  
'Yeah well, if you get bored tonight there's always scrabble over there.' He pointed towards a second games table.  
  
'What did you say?' Grissom suddenly became alert.  
  
'Scrabble.You can always......' Brass shook his head as if to heighten his reactions. 'A scrabble board. Red, blue and green squares.' He flicked the side of his head.' Idiot.'  
  
They walked over to the scrabble board. A number of tiles had been arranged spelling out not various words but whole sentences.  
  
Time is up.  
  
The puzzle is complete.  
  
Brass is exposed.  
  
Now for a treat.  
  
'What the hell sort of clue is that?' asked Jim.  
  
'It's not a clue Captain Brass,' a deep voice said behind them.'Please don't turn around, I'd hate for this game to be completely over just yet.'  
  
The door clicked shut. 


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer : Please see chapter one  
  
Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews. We're almost at and end to this tale, but like most good films there's an alternate ending. You'll have to wait to see which one I choose........oooohhhhhhhh!  
  
TWENTY THREE  
  
'Who the hell are you?' The book dropped with a loud thud as Brass and Grissom did as they were instructed and placed hands behind their heads.  
  
'You mean the great detective hasn't worked it out yet?' The voice mocked.  
  
'Where have I had time to work anything out Sherlock? You've had me running around Vegas for the past week. I haven't even had time to do any other work.'  
  
'Good. Less time spent sending innocents to prison.'  
  
'What?' Brass started to turn but the nuzzle of a gun in his neck halted his action.   
  
'Ah,ah...... Captain Brass, they promoted you then. I'm impressed.'  
  
'How so?'  
  
'I'm impressed that a total idiot like you made the grade, or did they promote you because you take great enjoyment out of stepping on people? And that CSI bitch, did you ever get off with her?'  
  
'Catherine?'  
  
'Yeah, the one you made eyes at from the witness stand while they condemmned my father to die. You know I've given you ample opportunity to get between her legs this last week, please don't tell me you wasted the chance.'  
  
'Hard lines sicko. I haven't touched her.'  
  
'Tut,tut tut. Now that doesn't impress me. I've even given you both the chance to embarrass yourselves to an excruciating level, and you passed up on it. You know the whore in the nigthclub was most disappointed in your performance. She thought you had potential. She even said you were very ready for her when she grabbed you. Then you had to go flash your badge and scare her with the threat of the joint. That was naughty.'  
  
'I don't use ladies of the night.'  
  
'That suprises me....JIM. You don't mind if I call you Jim do you?....A lonely guy like yourself, and you are lonely.'  
  
'No I'm....'  
  
'Shut up!' The barrel of the gun pushed deeper into Brass's neck until it began to hurt.'Don't LIE to me. I followed you before our little game started. You work, you go home, you go to work again. That's your pathetic little life apart from the dry cleaners and breakfast on occassion with your buddy here.' Grissom felt a nudge in his back.  
  
'Just tell us what you want,' Gil half turned and saw the youthful face of an angry young man glaring back at him. The calm voice belied the   
  
intense hatred in his eyes.  
  
'Him!' Brass had his neck pushed further forward until he was practically bending over. 'Taking the redhead out too would have been a bonus, but he'll do.....for now.'  
  
'You won't get away with this.' Grissom's voice remained steady.  
  
'You're right Mr Grissom. But I'll have done the thing I set out to do and that'll be my consolation on those long, lonely nights in a maximum security cell. Jim's life for my fathers, you remember him don't you Mr Policeman, Matthew Peters.'  
  
'Yeah,'Brass half laughed. 'I remember every guy I send to the chamber, but no-one'll remember you after they stick the needle in you're arm.'  
  
'He was innocent, and you hunted him down like a dog.  
  
'He killed a sixteen year old girl.'  
  
'No he didn't.'  
  
'Yes, he did. After raping her he grabbed her neck and squeezed until it snapped and all because he couldn't keep his dick in his pants.' The gun clicked as the hammer was drawn back. Brass froze and closed his eyes waiting for the end, but instead a hand grabbed a handful of hair and pulled his head back slowly until warm breath was by his ear.  
  
'He was innocent,'Peters whispered almost inaudibly. 'You should have been a better detective....detective....because I....KILLED...HER.'  
  
'But the evidence?'  
  
'Magic tricks have always been my favourite hobby, and slight of hand in particular.....'  
  
'You swopped samples?' Grissom anticipated the tale.   
  
'My fathers for mine, but with his help of course. He thought you were stupid too and when his alibi checked your case would crumble. All he had to say then was he had consensual sex with her and freedom would come calling.'  
  
'But it didn't.'  
  
'No. Alas Jim broke the alibi when the man who my dad was with was involved in a car accident. He had the bad grace to die before telling flatfoot here they were in an illegal poker game at the time poor Anna.......well the jury went on the evidence after that....' Peters sighed heavily.   
  
'At least let me die with my pants on.' Brass changed the subject as the room went quiet.   
  
'I take it your gun is in the locker, so that would be a no to that request, but I have no beef with Mr Grissom, so I'll let him fetch your pants only. You're right, a man should die with his pants on. Even a bastard like you. Don't be too long, I'd hate for the gun to go off because of cramp in my hand.'  
  
Grissom turned and walking backwards watching carefully, exited the room and set off at at run for the locker room and his cell phone. When the door had closed, Peters suddenly released Brass and shuffling the gun from side to side, indicated an over-stuffed arm chair. Eyeing Peters with complete disdain, Jim sat slowly and rested the cushion in his lap.  
  
'You know I'm rather disappointed. You've chased around Vegas doing all my little jobs mainly with the ex-stripper and you didn't bring her with you to my party. I was rather excited at the thought of her running around naked. Looks like she has a great body. Would you have been able to contol yourself Jim?'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
'Liar. You'd have to be a damn monk, although if you've already nailed her, then you'd be very comfortable being naked in her presence. Maybe I'd have got to taste her charms too before....'  
  
'I haven't touched her. I never will, she doesn't like me that way, but if you'd have laid one finger on her......'  
  
'I'd have taken her and there'd have been nothing you could have done about it. But I would have let you watch. Now that would have been even more torture for you wouldn't it? Probably worse than killing you in your opinion.'  
  
'Look kid,' Brass was trying to control the anger that was rising in his gut. Never in his life had he wanted to physically hurt someone as deliberately as he wanted to hurt this character who held him under the threat of a bullet. At least he could be greatful in the knowledge that Catherine was safe out of this man's reach, and that was the thought that prevented him doing something uncharaceristically rash.  
  
'I'm not a kid.'  
  
'Yes you are. You're a boy.'  
  
'A boy who's outsmarted you this week.You know you should have more respect for someone holding a gun to your head.'  
  
'You don't wanna kill me. You're angry but.....'  
  
'Shut up! You know nothing about me. I killed once,what the fuck makes you think I won't kill you? I spent the best part of a year planning this. You were supposed to get caught with the whore, but you played cop. You were supposed to get the shit kicked out of you, but you fight dirty. And then the church.......you were supposed to die in the church. Why can't you do anything right?'  
  
'Guess I'm one of life's assholes.'  
  
A soft knocking drew both their attention back to the library door.   
  
'Part way only,' Peters called. A hand slipped about the door and held out a pair of jeans. 'Shake them.' They shook violently. 'Just checking there's no gun. Okay Brass, take them slowly.' Jim walked over to the partially opened portal and saw a half dressed Grissom in the corridor. Nodding slightly, a smile playing about his lips, the detective took the denims and with a shout of 'NOW!'was pulled by the wrist through the gap. The door closed before a loud crack as the bullet splintered the wood just above his head.   
  
'We got him pinned. I don't think there's another way out,' said Brass breathlessly struggling into his jeans as Gil held onto the door handle. Discarding the holster, Brass drew his gun.  
  
'Wait,' said Grissom. 'We have him trapped Jim, and the team shouldn't be too far away.'  
  
'We're here!' Catherine's voice sounded behind them. 'Nick and Warrick are with Vega in the grounds. We think we know who's doing this.'  
  
'Matthew Peters Jnr.' Brass shook his head.  
  
'How did you know that?'  
  
'Because I've just been getting my head cozy with the nuzzle of his gun for the last twenty minutes.'  
  
'Blames us for executing his father. It was our first case together.But he's been planting DNA.'  
  
'I know. But it wasn't a plant. It was his DNA all along.'  
  
'What?'  
  
'Long story. I'll fill you in later.'Jim raised his gun and pointed it towards the door. Catherine also drew her weapon and Sara followed suit. 'Stand back girls.'  
  
'Hey,' Sara was indignant. 'We're a team.' She took the opportunity to run a hand down Grissom's bare back. 'You guys need us, even if you haven't learnt that yet.'Catherine arched an eyebrow. Sara shrugged. Grissom peered at her through squinting eyes as a pleasant but involuntary shiver ran down his spine. She grinned her toothy grin and Catherine took up a fighting stance, pushing past Brass tweaking several chest hairs as she went. He winced.  
  
'Ouch,okay,' Brass conceeded, 'But I go first.'He used a gentle hand to guide the CSI by the belt back behind his body where he gave her denim clad rump an affectionate pat. 'Gil, You and Sara follow me in and take the left side of the room, Cath and I will take the right. And ladies,' he paused with a grin,'You stay right behind us boys, coz you're right, us boys need you far more than you need us.'  
  
tbc................. 


End file.
